From Farm Broadcasting to Show Announcing

Chuck Zimmerman

Denny OviattWith his voice I wonder how farm broadcasting lost a guy like Denny Oviatt. Denny used to be a farm broadcaster in South Dakota before getting into show announcing. After listening to him for several days he’s sure good at what he does.

Denny is one of the ring announcers here at the National Appaloosa Horse Show. I spoke with him after his shift today.

One of the things he says is very important and challenging is pronouncing people’s names correctly. Having done some announcing myself I can sure echo that. In my interview he tells a few anecdotes from his time announcing horse races. He also says that there is opportunity for people who are interested in announcing as a career. I would recommend they look Denny up and I’m sure he can point them in the right direction to get started.

Learn a little bit about ring announcing from Denny in my interview with him here: appaloosa-national-07-oviatt.mp3


2007 National Appaloosa Horse Show Photo Album

Ag Groups, Audio, Horses

Learfield News Adds Waitt

Laura McNamara

Waitt Agribusiness Waitt Agribusiness is the latest addition to the Learfield News Group.

“We rep Brownfield, America’s largest ag radio network, American Ag Network, Kansas Ag Network, KFRM, and KRES Radio, so Waitt is a logical addition,” said Stan Koenigsfeld, President of Learfield News. “We have made a significant investment in technology and human resources in order to make buying farm radio as easy as we can for our clients. For years we have been operating like CBS and ABC radio networks without being able to efficiently blackout areas of a state. With this new technology we’re able to increase flexibility in our wired networks to make it easier to buy one station or the whole network. ”

“While some things are changing, Learfield’s commitment to agriculture isn’t.” Peter Shinn, headquartered in Nebraska, will continue as Farm Director for Waitt Agribusiness. Shinn has done an outstanding job providing regional farm news that farmers rely on in Iowa, Nebraska and South Dakota. “Waitt and Brownfield farm broadcasters talk to more farmers everyday than any other media outlet,” added Koenigsfeld.

For more information on Waitt Agribusiness contact your Learfield rep or Joyce Steinman – 573-556-1224 – joyce@learfield.com.

WAITT AgriBUSINESS is a division of Learfield Communications, Inc. Learfield opened for business in 1972, feeding farm programs to nine radio stations in north-central Missouri. Today, Learfield has two principal divisions: Learfield News and Learfield Sports headquartered in Jefferson City, MO. The Company produces, syndicates, and distributes radio programming and other information services to radio stations, Internet users and other customers around the world.

Ag Groups, Agribusiness, Media

Hall of Fame Reminscing

Chuck Zimmerman

Laura BrestToday the committees of the Appaloosa Horse Club are meeting but the show is still going on at the same time. I’m going to try to find out what’s going on in those committees but in the meantime I keep running into some very interesting people like Laura Brest who’s another ApHC Hall of Famer enjoying the show here in Oklahoma City.

I sat down with Laura this morning and learned how she got interested in these horses. As you’ll hear her say in the interview, she was out riding past a neighbor’s home and saw these colored horses and wondered what they were. Well she found out and after getting one from him to show she was hooked on Appaloosas.

Laura says she’s done everything there is to do like breeding, showing, judging and training. It was very easy for me to see why she’s in the Hall of Fame and I learned a lot from her. She’s a great resource for anyone who would like to know more about the breed. She has always been supportive of youth and thinks the breed makes for a great youth horse. She says that if you get them interested when they’re young they’ll like them for life.

You can listen to my interview with Laura here: appaloosa-national-07-brest.mp3


2007 National Appaloosa Horse Show Photo Album

Ag Groups, Audio, Horses

Marketing Appaloosas Internationally

Chuck Zimmerman

Michael PhillipsIt’s a small world. I knew I was supposed to interview Michael Phillips and thought his name sounded familiar. We met at a St. Louis Ag Club meeting a couple years ago.

Michael was here at the National Appaloosa Horse Show to speak with the International Marketing Committee. He’s President/CEO of U. S. Livestock Genetics, Inc.. He talked about export assistance programs using money available through the government. Here’s what USLGE does.

USLGE is a nationwide livestock-specific, not-for-profit, trade association representing the International Market Development interests of the U.S. dairy, beef, sheep, swine and horse breeding industries. Our representation encompasses the embryo and semen industry, livestock export sector, plus leading State Departments of Agriculture from top livestock producing states across the United States.

From what I understand ApHC has already started this process and Michael was here to talk about how they can take things to the next level and really connect with and develop relationships in foreign countries. He says he was very pleased and impressed to see the participation here at this show from people in other countries and spent some time talking with them. One of the things he says that ApHC members were very interested in hearing about is a personalized branding program that’s different than the basic breed promotion program.

You can listen to my interview with Michael here: appaloosa-national-07-phillips.mp3


2007 National Appaloosa Horse Show Photo Album

Ag Groups, Audio, Horses, International

The Arena Atmosphere

Chuck Zimmerman

Show RingI overheard someone say that a horse show isn’t a spectator sport. Well, tell that to the people here in the stands. There usually aren’t a lot. Mainly people interested in the current class or event but they do get loud when they cheer for their family or friends.

One of the things that impresses me about a show like this is how peaceful the atmosphere is most of the time. The arena just absorbs sound so it’s kind of quiet. It’s air conditioned. Except for races the action is very relaxed and calm. You can sit in here and forget about the outside world.

I’m sure the competitors on the horses aren’t all that peaceful inside though. They have a lot of concentrate on including managing a very large animal.

Where you see the most activity is in the barns though. Out there you’ve got fans, dogs barking, people scurrying all over on golf carts and scooters, people walking, washing and brushing horses. That’s a the busy place.


2007 National Appaloosa Horse Show Photo Album

Ag Groups, Horses

What A Farrier Does

Chuck Zimmerman

Kirk KnowltonIf you had asked me before today I would have told you that a farrier has something to do with horseshoes but that’s about all I could have told you. Now I know a lot more about it. That’s because I met Kirk today in between jobs where he’s set up as a show farrier in one of the barns. You can find a good definition of what a farrier does on Wikipedia if you’re curious.

It sounds like Kirk has been busy here at the National Show. He is very passionate about what he does and that comes through when you talk to him. He says that having a lame horse come to him and go away sound is one of the things that gives him the most satisfaction in his job. Besides this show Kirk also works the World Show and ApHC trail rides.

You can listen to my interview with Kirk here: appaloosa-national-07-knowlton.mp3


2007 National Appaloosa Horse Show Photo Album

Ag Groups, Audio, Horses

Pleasure Horse Clinic Video

Chuck Zimmerman

Tim ZuidemaI think I’m learning a whole new language here at the National Appaloosa Horse Show. For example, take pleasure horses. There are actually several different classes here in the show for pleasure horses. At first I thought it might have something to do with horses on which riding is a pleasure but no . . .

It has something to do with the horse being judged as opposed to the rider. In fact, the term goes back a ways and I’m not sure where it comes from. If you know please feel free to comment and fill us in.

Anyway, one of the many things you find here at the National Appaloosa Horse Show is a pleasure horse clinic. You can watch Tim Zuidema conduct his clinic. This little YouTube video is less than 5 minutes.

One thing is for sure. It’s a real pleasure to work out of the announcer’s booth here in the main ring arena in the air conditioning.


2007 National Appaloosa Horse Show Photo Album

Ag Groups, Horses, Video

Dogs at the Horse Show

Chuck Zimmerman

DogI’ve been joking that maybe we should call this the National Appaloosa Dog Show. There are dogs everywhere. All kinds of dogs. I’m a big dog lover and there are some beautiful animals here. For the most part they seem very well behaved.

I guess dogs and horses just go together. I’ve seen a lot of puppies too. Fortunately nothing that I’ve been told is for sale or else I could get in real trouble at home. We’ve got two there now.


2007 National Appaloosa Horse Show Photo Album

Ag Groups, Horses

Steve Taylor Talks Appaloosa

Chuck Zimmerman

National Appaloosa Horse ShowDo you remember this guy? Steve Taylor, now CEO of the Appaloosa Horse Club. He’s also the guy who got what I think is the first ag group blog going while he was managing the Missouri Beef Industry Council. He’s blogging in Idaho now as the head of this international breed organization and invited me to their National Show.Here he is giving his report at the annual meeting of the organization.

Steve talks about how the show is going here in Oklahoma City. He says that participation is up and everyone is adjusting well to the weather and construction challenges in the facility. He says his number one priority is to become the number one cheerleader for the breed. He thinks that international involvement in the show presents some challenges and opportunities. For one thing the language issue becomes a challenge but he sees ways to overcome that and hopes to create new relationships internationally that will benefit the organization.

Steve also wants to further develop marketing strategies for the ApHC that include better media relations and more web based activity. He says that some of the promotional materials have been translated into different languages and the internet allows for greater outreach on an international level.

You can listen to my interview with Steve here which runs about 12 minutes: appaloosa-national-07-taylor.mp3


2007 National Appaloosa Horse Show Photo Album

Ag Groups, Audio, Horses

Michael Peterson Remembers America

Chuck Zimmerman

Michael Peterson's I Remember AmericaIf you want to be one of the first to see a very patriotic new music video by Michael Peterson then you need to go to I Remember America. You can watch or purchase the video. After a day of driving and working I needed something to make me feel more in the mood for the holiday. You’ve got a winner there Michael!

As national spokesperson for the American Legion’s “American Legacy Scholarship” Peterson and Primoris Records are launching www.irememberamerica.com. The site will host several contests over the course of the next year, but initially will conduct an essay contest asking Americans of all ages to share their fondest memories of our nation and their ideas about making a positive contribution to our future. The top three essay writers will divide $4,000 prize money for furthering their education or the education of someone they love. Courtesy of Michael Peterson and Primoris Records.

The new video of the song “I Remember America” (from the forthcoming CD “In Black”) can be viewed at the site. $1.00 from the $5.00 purchase price of each specially released “I Remember America” DVD single and .25 cents from each individual download of the song will be given to the American Legacy Scholarship fund.

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