Florida NBHA State Champions Dave Ralph and Ernestly Special, aka "Ernest"
(2011 current photo from state to come)
I started writing bios 11 years ago for two Florida magazines and stories like this is why I do it! It always warms my heart to write an inspirational barrel racing story and a story of people who truly care about their horses and put them first!
Never has Florida NBHA State Championships been so dominated by one team! Dave and Ernest won the 1st go tied with Joe Peurrung in the open, won the 2nd go of the open, won the Senior 1D Champion Title and won the Open Finals! They walked away with titles and winning approximately $7500 in cash, 2 trophy saddles and 2 headstall/breastcollars sets as well.
I am sure many of you have been fans of Dave and Ernest and Team Ralph for couple of years as I have been. If you are like me you didn't know the details, just knew they are fun to watch compete. I hope you enjoy reading about Team Ralph as I did writing about them.
First let's start with a GREAT horse; Ernestly Special they fondly call "Ernest", is 9 years old. He is out of Gary and Linda Jones Stud, Special Feelings. They bought him as a 3 year old. Dodie believes he was started under saddle for 30 days by Paul Bass. Dodie trained him from there. Dodie says, "He was always easy to train, very sensitive and willing. The hardest part with Ernest was making sure I didn't let him get bored!" She also said, "I put a handle on him and then started the pattern. Never really put a lot of speed to him until the first part of his 5 yr old year."
As a 4 yr old Dodie would enter him at some shows and cruise him through. She felt it was best for Ernest to tell them when he was ready to run. Dave has been Ernest's main jockey and Jennifer Skelton ran him at a couple of rodeos this year and she probably will again. So far Dave and Jennifer are the only ones to have ever competed on him. They are pretty picky about that, not into letting people run their horses just to do it.
I asked how Ernest is conditioned and tuned currently and this is what Dodie shared, "At this stage of his life Dave rides him a couple of times a week. He makes sure Ernest is light and responsive, he may go through a set of barrels slow with some set at each one. As long as Ernest passes the, what I call the 'Check Test', Dave just rides in the back and plays!"
How is Ernest warmed up at jackpots and super shows you may wonder, this is his routine, "The warm up varies of course depending on length of show, weather, and so on. At a one day show Dave walks him, trots him, he may lope a few circles, if there is room, checks his brakes, makes sure the power steering is operable and he's ready! At a show like the State Show each day is less and less riding, to hot and at the end of the show the horses are starting to get a little tired so you don't want to wear them out in warm up. On the Finals day Dave led him around a lot before he ever got on him."
I asked Dodie how often Ernest races per year she replied, "If there is a barrel race worth going we go. I don't think the barrel races are what wears a horse out, I think it's the hauling. If we run at two shows a weekend they are usually fairly close to home and he has all week to recoup." Ernest lifetime earnings so far is approximately $40,000.
The Ralph's feed their horses Legends Performance, Alfalfa Hay, some Coastal, Lubrisyn and Morinda Care. For care of their horses they do believe in Chiropractic Care. Dodie shared, "Dave has learned a lot of the stretches and he does them before he rides every time, even when he is just riding at home. Joe Tucker is our Farrier and he keeps Ernest going fantastic with his PF Flyers! Dr. John Alford from Live Oak is our Vet and we love him! He's awesome!"
Dodie shared how much they love Ernest because of his awesome ability and want to, makes it easy to love him! She also feels it was meant to be they bought Ernest. Dodie bought him sight unseen because of his name. Her Dad's name was Ernest. Dodie shared, "When Linda was talking to me one day and made a comment about Ernest I was like, wait, wait!! what did you say? I told her to consider him sold he was mine. Thankfully they sold him to me. Ernest is gritty, cocky, beautiful and loaded with talent! He loves Dave also, no matter where he is in the pasture if Dave walks out and speaks to him Ernest will throw his head up and come see what he wants! I love that!"
Many of you might find it shocking that Dave only started riding horses and barrel horses in 2003. He was the camera man until then. Dave shared, "Dodie had a horse called Reggie, we still have him, she was going to sell him so I told her I wanted to try him." Dave is a State Licensed Electrical Contractor. He is able to ride 2 or 3 times a week around his work schedule. They usually go to at least one barrel race a weekend. Dave did win a lot of barrel races when he was riding Reggie, like winning an NBHA District 8 title in 2008, Dodie shared. They both agree the relationship between Dave and Ernest is very special in deed!
I asked Dave to share what he thinks about just before his runs on Ernest and this is what he shared, "Get up in the hole and keep my hands down and to try to stay out of his way and to stay up with him!"
I wanted Dave to expand on how it felt running at state and as they kept winning open go's and seniors if the pressure was really intense in the finals for him. He shared this, "I knew he could give me another run like the others. He's so honest and is not going to cheat me so I tried not to focus to much on it. I talked to other people and didn't think about it. I know I have a great horse so it makes it a little easier, I just have to make sure I don't hinder him. That's what I tell myself, let him do it!"
I asked Dave to share some advice on being successful with your horse and this is what he shared, "You have to like your horse and put him first! Ernest, and all our horses are taken care of before we are! An example is coming home from the Finals, we were starving but we came home, put the horses up and then went to eat. As it was way to hot for them to stand in a trailer while we celebrated what Ernest did. Take care of your horse and he will try to take care of you."
Dave says going into the finals he didn't let pressure get to him because he knew he had the horse to go make him a top 5 run in each go so he had to make sure that he focused on his needs. Dave shared going into the Finals Ernest was a little more wired so he just got off of him and hand walked him. He couldn't really get nervous as he was focused on what Ernest needed from him. I asked Dave what he loves most about barrel racing and he said, "It's the speed and the adrenaline rush!!"
I asked Dave what he loves about Ernest and he replied, "What's not to LOVE, Everything, his temperament, his quirks, his looks!! He's a member of the Family!"
Dave and Ernest won about $7,500, two Corientte Saddles, two sets of Cowboy Couture Breast Collars and Headstalls and two Wild Cards. Dave would like to say thank you to the Sponsors! He says, "The Saddles are great and those Cowboy Couture Sets are awesome!"
Behind the scenes of the Ralph Team is Dodie her roles are many; trainer, coach, caretaker, support, video taping, and many more hats I am sure I am missing! Dodie has been barrel racing since she was 5 years old and her first rodeo was on her Mother's Barrel Horse, Danger. Dodie's Dad and Mom rodeoed and that's how she got in it. As kids they rode bareback or in her Dad's rope saddle, that's what she rode running barrels. Dodie shared, "We didn't have different saddles for different events or people. LOL! Daddy would roll up a crocker sack and tie it to the back of the rope saddle for me. Made the seat smaller. I rode whatever was there and we did everything with all of the horses. We've got pictures of Me and my sisters and brother and my two cousins all on Daddy's rope horse bareback!! Fun times!"
Dodie has been around rodeo her whole life and even RODE BULLS herself in the FBRA All Girl Rodeos. Her brother rode bulls so naturally when the FBRA started the All Girl Rodeo Dodie was in! She says it was fun!
I asked Dodie to share how Dave and Ernest came to be she shared, "Believe it or not Dave didn't even ride until 2003. Once he decided he wanted to barrel race things became even better!! When we bought Ernest Dave was in his second year of riding. Neither one of us ever dreamed of him riding Ernest. When I knew Ernest was going to be one of those Awesome horses I asked Dave if he wanted to ride him. I've done my share of winning, (not that I'm ready to quit!)lol! and I wanted Dave to have that. He was winning with Reggie but anyone that knows that horse knows he was not easy. I put Dave on him when Ernest was 5 and every so often I would get on Ernest and make sure he was where he should be. Now Dave has learned so much that I don't have to ride his horse for him anymore, he knows how to keep him sharp! I wanted Dave to have that feel of Winning and he sure has! He has exceeded what I ever did! LOL!!"
I asked Dodie what advice would you offer barrel racers on being their personal best inside and outside the arena, "Enjoy your horse and have confidence in him and yourself. In the holding pen when you think you are getting nervous remember why you're there, it's because you like running barrels and you like your horse. Be proud of what you and your horse do, it's all good!! Outside the arena it's the same thing, remember why you're there. You enjoy running barrels!! It's not about who has the fastest horse or the fanciest trailer, Horses get older and trailers rust! It's about the thrill of the competition and you better remember that if you have no friends to share it with it's not all that great!"
Also asked Dodie about competing or training which does she like best? She replied, "Now that's a tough question. Obviously the thrill of winning has no comparison but watching a team that I helped get there is pretty darn awesome also! When Joseph Peurrung tied Dave for the 1st Go I was ecstatic! He has been coming to the house and has worked very hard to do that. I guess I'm just very glad that I can share the thrill of winning by helping. As we all know, winning is not that easy!"
I also asked Dodie, What is your relationship with Ernest, how special is he to you and other horses that you have had over the years? Dodie shared, "Oh my gosh, there are no words! I could talk about Ernest all day every day!! lol Seriously though I really have been lucky enough to own some really good horses through the years. I've had them where they were started and I finished them or not even broke and had to start from the ground. I bought one once that was 14, Mixer, what an awesome horse he was! I've always had to make my own or finish one out. Couldn't afford to go buy one! lol That's another thing, there's nothing wrong with buying a winning horse, you still have to have the talent and ability to keep it winning. Don't really like it when I hear people making snide remarks about someone winning only because they have the money to buy one. Still have to be able to ride it."
Lastly I asked Dodie to share what do you love about horses and barrel racing? "I love the horses because they are just an awesome animal! Horses as a rule want to please and just need to be shown the correct way. A good 4D horse is just as valuable to his owner as that NFR Horse is to theirs. The Speed, the rush, the adrenaline, the crowds yelling, the announcers calling your name, the bulls, the music, the lights, etc, etc, etc!!! That's what I love about Barrel Racing!"
The Ralph's would like to thank some Folks; "First we would like to thank all the Sponsors, without you there would be no State Finals! Joe Tucker, the man behind the feet! lol Dr. John Alford, always there if we need him! A HUGE thank you to Gary and Linda Jones for naming him Ernestly Special and selling him to us!"
Finally, I asked the Ralph's how special this last weekend at NBHA State Finals was for them and here is what they had to say, "Wow! It's been totally fabulous! I can tell you for sure that what he did at the State Finals was never in our mind. We went with the intention of making good clean fast runs and placing high in each go! Never in our wildest dreams did we think he would win everything!"
You might be wondering what are the future plans for Dave and Ernest and Dodie says, "We'll just get back to the everyday routine and stay the same as before. We'll go to the Bigger Shows that are fairly close."
Thank you again Dodie and Dave for sharing your story with Ernest with us! I know he had FANS before State Finals, me included but now Dave and Ernest are like Florida's own Rock Stars! Congratulations again and may your lives continue to be so blessed.
By - Tina Spangler