Behind the scenes:
Agent, coach share knowledge with teams

By LORI COPE | East Texas Edition

Members of the Henderson County 4-H Horse Judging Senior team and their coach pose with the champion banner and their ribbons following competition at San Antonio. Team members are (from left) Kristin Graham, Lindsey Van Dusen, Stuart Womack, Daniel Barnett, and coach Steve Van Dusen.

May 22, 2003 -- Behind every winning team are some winning influences.

One prime example of this philosophy is the Henderson County 4-H Horse Judging team, and the county's 4-H agent and the team's coach.

Hilary Grider, Henderson County Extension agent, and Steve Van Dusen, the team's coach, have their own horse tales.

Grider, 23, has been the county's Extension agent for 4-H and Youth Development for about a year. At the age of 7 she received her first show horse, a Palomino gelding, which she competed with in traditional Western performance, showmanship, and pleasure classes. "However, with age I became interested in several events and tried several, from English to Trail, but found my love to be in Cow Horse. ... I was never the greatest, but was developing (in the sport) well before I went to college."

While attending Texas A&M University in College Station, Grider worked for the Texas A&M/Texas Cooperative Extension Service Summer Horsemanship schools, was a member of the '99 Horse Judging Team, and worked in the Equine Research Lab from 1999-2001.

Grider feels her greatest accomplishment in the field of horses was her work with the Summer Horsemanship school. "It was an experience I will treasure for all time, as I learned about myself and shared the joy of riding with others, especially the younger kids."

In '01, she graduated with a bachelor of science degree in Animal Science with an emphasis in equine studies. She has also earned certification as an equine massage therapist.

Today, with her professional duties, Grider said she has little time to be directly involved with her horses (kept by her dad Gus and Uncle Walter), but has hopes of starting a "good line of youth/amateur cow horses.

"Horses are why I am where I am and how I got here," Grider said. "I have to say the best part of working with youth (that are) involved and interested in horses is getting to see them enjoy and learn from the experiences. ... Knowing that they (horses) may take someone else on a similar or different journey, is the best part."

Grider has assisted the 4-H Horse Judging team, but she is very quick to point the spotlight on the team's coach - Steve Van Dusen.

Van Dusen has been involved with the Henderson County 4-H Horse Judging team for five years. His coaching duties began then as his daughter, Lindsay, was a member of the junior team.

"At that time there were just a couple of kids (involved in the 4-H horse project)," he said. Over the years, "the horse program has increased in members. At one time, we had 18 kids involved; two teams of juniors and two teams of seniors. Some of the kids didn't even have horses."

He added he is glad there's been opportunity for the kids; "the ones that are eager to learn."

Van Dusen said his horse-related background began while growing up in the Quitman area. "My dad raised Quarter Horses and showed them at halter. I didn't show much, but I was around them (horses) a lot growing up."

To hone his skills, Van Dusen said he "studied a lot of literature, went through the A&M videos, and attended lots of contests. ... And, we have a clinic once a year and we have people come in to teach."

In teaching the 4-H'ers how to succeed at judging horses, Van Dusen said developing the kids' skills for presenting "oral reasons" will benefit them throughout life. "We had some kids that were real shy, including my daughter, who were not able to speak (in public) or were not able to defend what they feel."

But through practices and competitions, the 4-H'ers have earned reputations for being good speakers. "They will even go to functions in town (to speak), or at school, they're some of the first ones to stand up and speak or be a leader," Van Dusen said.

The 4-H'ers compete year-round in the horse events, and Van Dusen is the only coach. His full-time job at Oncor works him in 12-hour shifts, but he said he's glad the 4-H'ers adjust to his schedule and that many of the events are on weekends. He's even used some of his vacation time to take the kids to competitions or practices.

Van Dusen's daughter is a senior, and this is her last year to compete in 4-H. But 12-year-old son Eric is "following in her footsteps." He's a member of the 4-H junior team.

"I'm just real proud of all of them," he concluded.