Released October 22, 2008
MANHATTAN, Kan. - Let’s talk about Paints. No, not the kind used by artists to create pictures, I’m talking about Paint Horses - those beautiful horses with the flashy skin colors. Today we’ll meet a nationally acclaimed Paint Horse trainer, breeder and showman. He’s based in rural Kansas.
Kevin Hood is the owner of Kevin Hood Show Horses. Kevin grew up liking horses. His father was in the Army, so they literally moved all over the world, but his grandfather lived in Sherman, Texas where Kevin went for the summers. When Kevin was tiny, his grandfather took him to horse sales. Kevin started buying and selling horses like his grandpa.
As Kevin’s father’s military career was winding down, the family thought about a place to retire. With Texas becoming urbanized, they looked for a more rural location and chose Fort Riley, Kansas. The family moved here in 1975 and fell in love with it. They bought a farm near the rural community of Westmoreland, population 628. Now, that’s rural.
Kevin says, “We came here and loved it.” He’d grown up around horses, but now he came to learn that there is an art and science to horse training. He embarked on a training and showing career which would take him to various horse ranches around the country. As he had success, people encouraged him to work with those flashy Paint Horses.
When Kevin and his wife Kathy wanted to start a family, they came back to Kansas. Kevin says, “I’ve lived all over, but I’m here because this is where I want to be.”
Today, Kevin Hood specializes in training, showing, breeding, shipping semen, and selling horses - especially Paints. Kevin says, “I grew up around ranchers and stockmen, so I can pick a colt and know what he’s going to be in a couple of years.” That ability to develop horses has proven to be a significant asset.
He recalls another lesson from his early days. Kevin says, “We were sitting with an old rancher at a café in Texas when his grown son came in and told about buying a neighbor lady’s cattle. The old rancher asked what he gave for `em. His son told him the price, which was below market value but was exactly the price that this lady asked. The old man got real upset. He said, “Now, you know better than that. You know the real value of those cattle. You get up right now and go pay her what those cattle were worth.” And he did.” Kevin says, “I saw the importance of doing the right thing and treating people fair.”
Kevin has put his values to work while using modern technology. He says, “When we moved here we had a two-party line. An independent phone company came in and upgraded our telephone and Internet. Thanks to my daughters, I can sit here in small town USA and do business all over the country.” Their website is http://www.kevinhoodshowhorses.com.
Today, Kevin attracts customers from all over the country and even overseas, as far away as Australia, Italy, and Sweden. His success in the show ring is amazing, having shown some 33 reserve or world champion horses.
He says, “I’m especially proud that they’ve come in different areas. They’re not all in halter or western pleasure classes, for example.”
That’s like Michael Phelps winning Olympic gold medals in track and basketball, in addition to swimming.
But Kevin and Kathy have values that are more important than the show ring. Kevin says, “It’s really about helping the people behind the horses. And it’s great to see my daughters learn and grow in self-confidence.” Daughter Kally was on K-State’s world champion horse judging team. Daughter Katelyn takes online high school classes while on the horse show circuit. Kevin says, “Working with them is a gift and a blessing.”
--30--
http://isis.oznet.ksu.edu/KSRENews/story/KSProfileKevinHood102208.aspx
Contact: Ron Wilson, rwilson@oznet.ksu.edu
