Hi, I'm Betina

 

This is Star and I

 

Star & I barrel racing

around the last barrel

 

Star and I in a parade

 

The day I won

Rodeo Queen 1979

 

 
 

 

This is Echo. My 3yr old

 filly  I was breaking

 

Echo and I
 

Recent Photo's

 

Me giving riding instructions

 in Georgia, 2006

 

Me giving a lesson in

Georgia 2006

EQUINE 808
 MY BIO
I started Equine 808 because I love working wit horses, showing and working with people.  Let me share with you my story. I was born and raised in the western part of the States in Colorado Springs, Colorado. I have three beautiful daughters Athena age 24, Monika 21 and Alyssa 20.  I also have 2 grand children, a grandson Keona age 4 and a grand daughter Teysia 1 years old.

I have always had a love for animals, especially horses. I started riding at the age of 14 on a appaloosa mare named Pepper.  I didn't know how to ride well so Pepper at times would take advantage of me and run me into fences.  Although I still enjoyed riding I had a hard time letting her go when I fell in love with a quarter horse/thoroughbred cross (3 bar) named Star.  Star was turned out to pasture by her previous owner and stayed in pasture for about 6 years.  When I convinced my dad to buy her for me he thought I was crazy for he saw her throw the owner when he would try to ride.  When we bought her, the first thing my father did was to see if he could ride Star.  Nope!  She threw him.

For about 2 months I did nothing but groom, lead, and spend time with Star.  Star had a spirit about her that I just fell in love with.  Then one day, I decided to try and ride her.  She did not throw me.  Instead, we rode as if we were meant for each other.  A lady that lived on the ranch where I was boarding her saw me riding and told me that in order to be an excellent rider, I must learn to ride bareback first.  She taught me how to ride Star bareback for about 6 months straight.  No saddle at all.  She then took me to watch the local gymkhana's and told me that this was the life.  A cowboy life.  I fell in love with the sport and decided to brave the odds and show Star.  I rode her in western pleasure, English equitation, hunter, parades and believe it or not...barrel racing.  Self taught in all of these areas I was able to accomplish many awards, belt buckles, and trophies.  Barrel racing became the sport that we both mastered as a team. 

From the age of 14 to 32 I ended up with 6 horses but only used Star to travel the rodeo circuit.  I traveled  to rodeos across the western States where my barrel racing times qualified me to race at 16.01.  I competed in the Pikes Peak or Bust Rodeo in Colorado, US Black Rodeo in Wyoming, attended the National Pro Rodeo Association (NPRA) in Las Vegas and became a member of the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA) in 1986.   I was also selected as Rodeo Queen for different riding club organizations in 1979, 1983 and 1986.

In 1986 after my last race, I decided that I had to make a change and gave up competing to be a full time mother.  Sadly, Star passed away when she rolled one day and twisted her gut.  So. eventually, I even gave up horses all together in 1993 when I moved from Colorado to Virginia to follow my husband who is in the US Army.  I now currently live in wonderful Hawaii.  With a marriage, my battle and survival with breast cancer and a life with many challenges, I never lost the spark to ride and compete and hoped that one day I could again.  In May of this year (2007) that dream came back to life.

I went to the Barbers Point Riding Stable just to see all the horses.  I walked up to a horse, a thoroughbred mare that was very skinny and emaciated looking.  When I looked into her eyes, I saw a spirit that looked and felt so familiar.  I really felt sorry for her.  Her coat was mangy and she was at least 400 pounds under weight and her hooves needed trimming.  When I left the stables I could not stop thinking about that horse and had to go back to check on the skinny thoroughbred mare.  The next day I did and once again, her eyes seemed to talk to me.  I found out from other boarders there that she was a rescue horse and was only at the stables for a few months and that she was not getting any better and only growing worse.  Immediately, I asked how to get a hold of the owners. With my expertise with horses, I knew I could help get this horse well.  Well, after a couple of phone calls and $1200.00 later this horse became mine.   Her name is Kentucky.

Kentucky's rescue story -

Through a few vet checks I found out that Kentucky had a hole that protrudes from one side of her neck to the other.  She also had many scars and she had bitten off 1/4 of her tongue.  I had no idea what she had been through but I was desperate to find out, however no one knew.  During one of her vet checks we noticed she had a tattoo in her upper lip.  This meant Kentucky was a race horse!  With the help of the Thoroughbred Racing Protective Bureau, I found out that Kentucky's real name is Kentucky's Seven, she is 17 years old and that she raced in Canada at the Assiniboia Downs race track and won several times.  I was also able to locate Kentucky's original owner and breeder, Joan Edwards and spoke to her on several occasions in which she sent me Kentucky's race photo's, race records and pedigree.  I was also able to locate her original registration papers and found that she is registered with The Jockey Club!  What a wonderful blessing I came across.  What about her injuries?  I continued to ask questions and after speaking with the several people, I was able to find out that Kentucky was in serious horse trailer accident in the Mainland.  The trailer flipped with several horses inside and a side panel pole of the trailer protruded Kentucky's neck.  Kentucky was the only horse that survived.  Kentucky had a story after all.  She was a survivor...like me. 

 5 months later and her road to recover you'd be amazed at how Kentucky looks now. To see her before and after pictures click here. Oh did I mention that she rides GREAT!  Watch out barrel racers of Hawaii.

Does my story end here...not really.  Its just getting started.  Since I rescued Kentucky my heart also went out to another rescued thoroughbred gelding named Stetson.  Stetson was not in as bad of shape as Kentucky but he is about 100 pounds under weight and he is 23 years old.  At 16.2 hands he is the most gentle horse I have ever owned.  As with Kentucky, Stetson had a tattoo that we researched and found out he too is an ex-race horse from Texas but raced in Louisiana at the Louisiana Downs race track and won many times.  His original owner and breeder is Charles Hukill.  Stetson's real name, Restless Avenger.  Go figure that.

Of course, with 2 grand kids and my daughters I had to get horses for everyone.  So 5 months after purchasing Kentucky I owned a total of 5horses.  Today, April 29, 2008 I currently own 6 horses.  One POA blue roan filly named "Sea Diamond", a grulla Shetland pony with dun factors named "Misty Ain't Dun" a true bay  3/4 Quarter horse 1/4 Morgan gelding named Kana , and my newest addition to the family, a Leopard Appaloosa filly named "Honey Girl Delight" .  I guess you can say, I'm back in the saddle again.  To see pictures of all the horses and my family click here.