Cowboy Dressage. Jessica Black
ceremony.
Turning Points
September 25, 2010. Opening Ceremony, Equestrian World Games, Lexington, Kentucky. Santa Fe and Eitan had already given a spectacular performance earlier in the evening when they came back to do their part in the finale. They were to be the last out of the arena, but Eitan headed for the gate early, only to slide off Santa Fe as he suffered a ventricular fibrillation. Thanks to Santa Fe’s calm reaction and the fortunate presence of the paramedics and a retired doctor, Eitan survived. Ventricular fibrillation means cardiac arrest, and without a defibrillator, usually death. Eitan ended up in intensive care at the University of Kentucky’s Trauma Hospital with nine broken ribs, a fractured sternum and punctured lung from the CPR that saved his life. He was in the ICU for eight days, followed by another week in hospital. For a while, no one knew if he would make it. For Debbie, it was a nightmare.
There have been many times of defeat over the years during which Cowboy Dressage evolved from a dream to reality. It has been a story of passion, heartache, and starting over time and again, but those days in Kentucky were the worst. That was, Deb says, when the journey came close to killing them, but somehow, Eitan recovered, and together they found the strength and courage to keep going despite his long recovery and continued health problems.
HOLIDAY TEMPTRESS
Some people just have a feel for what will be a good cross. Deb chose to breed to Carlyle Command because she felt he was a great horse, even before he had proven that greatness. Before Carlyle, her “dream stallion” was Nemour’s Black Shadow, a beautiful black son of one of the Morgan breed’s most influential sires, Beamington. Deb won a raffle for a breeding to Shadow, and in 1981 bred her mare Decatur’s Magic Touch to him. A year later Holiday Temptress was born.
Debbie remembers Tess as a kind, wonderful mare with a big trot. She would pass her movement and heart to Compadre. Not long after Compadre was born, Tess was sold along with her dam to Dr. Lauren La Rue; both would become important foundation mares for Lauren’s Welcome Ranch. Tess would be bred to Fiddler’s Firstcommand—like Carlyle, a son of the renowned Waseeka’s In Command. That cross would result in a three-quarter brother to Compadre, De Novo Shameless, who would, in turn, sire many horses.
Not surprisingly, when I asked Eitan if there had been any turning point in his career that led to Cowboy Dressage as it is today, he immediately said, “The World Equestrian Games in Kentucky.” His collapse and its aftermath were not what made the impression, however. It is natural for people to ask if that experience changed him, but when we were talking, Eitan said emphatically, “No, not the collapse. But the 20,000 emails did. I had no idea I had touched so many lives.” That overwhelming support of his fans showed Eitan that he had reached many more people than he had ever dreamed. It was marvelous, but it came with a new feeling of responsibility.
Eitan’s first question when he woke up in the ICU was if he would be able to get back on a horse. By the time they aired a short video of Eitan and Debbie at the closing ceremony of the Games, he knew he would be able to ride. The question was whether he would be able to share effectively all he had to teach with the people who wanted to learn. The well-wishers who had sent him emails and left get-well messages deserved to be part of the way of life that Cowboy Dressage was becoming. Eitan knew he had to live to meet their need.
Santa Fe Renegade is one of those horses that we all dream of owning: a beautiful winning performance horse and a reliable mount that takes care of his riders. He has also proven to be an excellent breeding stallion, passing on his beauty, disposition, and talent to each foal. Santa Fe was the leading Western Pleasure Sire in the Morgan Breed in 2012 and 2013. Above, Santa Fe is shown surrounded by photos of some of his many sons and daughters that have gone on to make wonderful riding horses.
For many reasons, late 2010 was a vital point in the evolution of Cowboy Dressage. It was already big; Eitan and Debbie had been travelling all over the world to promote their unique brand of horsemanship. People were learning to do Cowboy Dressage in clinics, at shows, and at home, with the help of the many videos and articles Eitan and others had been creating. As riders felt more comfortable with the new style, they wanted to take it in different directions. Some wanted to compete at recognized shows; Morgan owners, for example, wanted to do dressage in their Western tack, along the lines Eitan had shown them. The Western Dressage Association of America was created to facilitate a new division at horse shows. Regional clubs were organized all over the United States. Now there are Cowboy Dressage groups all over the world.
THE TRIP OF A LIFETIME
When he was asked to go to Germany for the Closing Ceremony of the World Equestrian Games in 2006, Eitan said, “Let me think about it,” and hung up the phone. Debbie looked at him, astonished, and exclaimed, “What is there to think about? We’re doing it!” The organizers had asked him because they knew he could deliver an unscripted, fantastic performance under chaotic conditions; it was the opportunity of a lifetime. The United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) and the Morgan Horse Institute sponsored Eitan and Santa Fe Renegade as their ambassador to the Games in Aachen, and off they all went to Europe.
When the time came to perform, Debbie was a nervous wreck, despite her original enthusiasm and confidence in Eitan and Santa Fe. They had no rehearsal, no warm up; it was cloudy, rainy, and windy. The stadium was full of noise and people, the grass was slick—so many what ifs. As they waited in the cold, Debbie was thinking about everything that could go wrong. Eitan, however, was reveling in everything that could go right. He was entirely confident—in fact, he couldn’t wait to get out in front of the crowd.
“Aren’t you scared?” Debbie asked him.
Eitan and Santa Fe Renegade performed in the Closing Ceremony of the World Equestrian Games in Aachen, Germany, in 2006.
Eitan’s answer was a definite no. “I’ve been preparing for this all my life,” he said. “Santa Fe is ready, I am ready.”
And they were. After the fantastic performance, Deb and Eitan looked at each other and said, “We could just stop here. It just cannot get any better.” Luckily for the rest of us, they did not stop, and slowly, out of the big triumphs and little defeats that accompany any new endeavor, Cowboy Dressage grew into what it is today.
After a stunning performance with Santa Fe Renegade at the 2010 World Equestrian Games in Kentucky, Eitan collapsed due to cardiac arrest. During his recovery, he was amazed by the overwhelming support of friends, acquaintances, and fans. Their response inspired a new purpose: he had to pull through in order to share his knowledge with a fan base larger than he had ever imagined.
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCING COWBOY DRESSAGE
The first thing my brother asked me when I mentioned I had visited Debbie and Eitan Beth-Halachmy for the first time in years was, “Do they still live above the stables?”
Yes of course. What a wonderful way to live, we agreed: right above your horses, amidst beautiful scenery. Of course, it is easy for us to say. My brother has fond memories of riding his motorbike out to Wolf Creek Ranch to escape the hustle and bustle of Sacramento. I have spent most of my adult life in cities where I have had to drive anywhere from ten to forty-five minutes to see my horses. For us, having our horses close at hand seems a dream and a privilege. For Deb and Eitan, it is a way of life that has brought hard work along with the fulfillment that has come with Cowboy Dressage.
A visit to Wolf Creek Ranch, home of the Beth-Halachmys and