Meet the Amazing Virginia Godwin

Virginia Godwin is a wildly successful horsewoman having won just about every award possible including the coveted Horsewoman of the Year! She is the owner of Chesapeake Training Center and Oak Creek Farm in Red Oak, NC. Her passion for the Arabian horse, as well as horsemanship, is second to none. I know you will enjoy getting to know this delightful and amazing horsewoman. 

Transcript

Rose Cushing 0:15

Thanks for tuning in to today's Horsewoman Podcast. Our show explores women in the horse industry as they share their dreams, challenges, successes. What drives these women? Well, let's find out. Hey, this is Rose Cushing, host of today's Horsewoman Podcast. We're in Red Oak, North Carolina today with Virginia Godwin, and Virginia has made many accomplishments in the Arabian horse world and the horse world in general. She's a pretty special lady, so I hope you'll enjoy learning more about her and get some good advice and tips from her. So, Virginia, tell me a little bit about how you came to horses.

Virginia Godwin 0:51

Well, my family was in the saddlebird industry way back when. I'm talking about in the 40s. Really good friends with Gene McLean Davis, who's a prominent breeder in the saddlebird world. And unfortunately, my grandparents that were kind of on the horsey set of my family died way too young. Didn't have a chance to meet them. However, the genes must have pulled through, for sure. And my dad, you know, was slowly kind of, you know, introduced carefully, I will say, to the horse industry. Um his brother was actually killed at a horse show. So to be perfectly honest with you, my parents, um, it wasn't a very happy thing that I decided to go this route. But I know it's in my genes. I know that um that they really overcame a lot. I didn't really press them to be overly involved. Um, and they actually became involved in their own time. Um, and now um it's just a wonderful topic of conversation, and you know, it's um I don't know, it's just so wonderful if, you know, because I knew how much my dad had overcome me getting in the horse industry, and and to hear him say he's proud of me and you're doing a great job, and and now you're a judge because he's like he's a real judge. He's not a horse judge, you know. So it's funny we joke about all that when I first judged my first national horse show and heard them announce me as Judge God when he was looking at the live stream, and he goes, Well, that was really nice to hear, darling. So that was fun, but um, and then from I tell you, 4-H had a huge impact on me, huge. I was in 4-H for 11 years. Cannot express the importance of kids being involved in that. It's huge, it made has made me who I am. Um, I always go back to my roots, and then it's fun to do clinics and help them achieve their dreams, but it's such a powerful program, and I can't really I just you know can't emphasize that enough.

Rose Cushing 3:00

You know, 80% of the people that I interview that are successful are 4-H kids.

Virginia Godwin 3:05

Well, there you go. I mean, honestly, it speaks for itself. It really is true, you know, without a doubt. Um, and then you know, I went to college. I rode, you know, you know, as a as a teenager and taught some lessons and stuff like that. I actually bought a horse and my parents didn't know it. Had that for about a year, and then they found out, and then they kind of came on board a little more, you know. So I was pretty sneaky. I did a lot of stuff to stay in it, not to upset them. But um, all in all, it's all worked out great and um worked for um uh Cypress Porn Arabians when I was a teenager, and then went to Randolph Facing Women's College to, and I thought I was gonna be a biologist and uh wanted to be an educator, you know, at the university level. Taught there for a couple of years, but just realized that that the that particular environment just wasn't for me. Um not the you know, not the intellectual part, but trying to move up in that academic world. You know, people have tenure above you, and trying to move up is just you it's a long time, and I'm just really impatient on accomplishment. So, you know, I went a lot of different routes trying to become a game biologist and things of that nature, and in the process, people wanted me to come work their horses in their backyard. Um and there starts Chesapeake Training Center. One became two, two came four, four became eight. By the time I got to ten, people said get your own place. Right. And then it just went crazy. We start I started it in um with another friend of mine in um 1983, um, and it's still alive, it's gone a lot of different routes, but um, I'm proud to say that it's still strong and living well. That is so awesome. Why Arabians? They're so smart. They are smart. Not only are they beautiful, they challenge your every being, they challenge every emotion you have to work with them. You know what? But when you get their trust and the response that you want, you know, they're so reactive, um, and I think a lot of people have trouble working with them sometimes because they can't tell the difference sometimes between reaction and response, and you have to find the response. Um, and when you can tone down the reaction and get a response from them, it's just magical.

Rose Cushing 5:40

So in your career, you you ride, you drive, you judge, you do a lot of things. What's your favorite thing that you do?

Virginia Godwin 5:47

Oh, driving. Driving for sure. Yeah, you know, I was blessed. Um, I had a client that purchased an extraordinary horse, and um I had never, you know, I drove as a kid, but I never drove competitively. And so we had this horse going under saddle, um, and the kids were gonna show her too. So, as most professionals know, it's hard to have a lot of jockeys on a very high caliber. You know, this is a six-figure horse, so she's very high caliber. Um, and so I just decided, well, I'm gonna break it or drive so I can have my own thing with her. And they didn't want to do that, you know, so it ever worked out great. Um, and she was pretty much undefeated her whole career. She was nine-time national champion and really put me on the map. So I owe her a lot, for sure. Um, but it's just, you know, it's got a little bit of NASCAR to it, it's got a lot of elegance to it, you know, so it kind of challenges everything that I get a rise out of.

Rose Cushing 6:48

Cushing Media is proud to present our first event for 2021, our Everything Equine Expo, a tribute to horsewomen. April 16th through 18th at the Lake Waukama Equestrian Center, Bill Thompson Lane, Lake Waukama, North Carolina. Our Colt Starting will feature six of the finest cowgirls in the business. Even the horses for Colt Starting will be fillies and provided by Lost Creek Cattle Company of Tennessee. Professional demos, trail challenge, colt starting, and equestrian entertainment show on Saturday night. Tickets available online or at the gate for just $30 for the entire weekend, including all events, or $15 per day. Follow us on Facebook at Everything Equine Expo, a cushing media production. So, as a woman in the horse industry, what kind of challenges do you feel like you've faced?

Virginia Godwin 7:55

Well, number one, um, it you have to let your work speak for itself. You can't, you know, oversell yourself in the beginning, you know, because there are too many talented people out there. And and I think the the best advice that my father gave me, and and I guess it was, you know, I saw some of my colleagues were landing jobs with big farms, and I was kind of holding on to my own little Chesapeake training center, my own business, and you know, and he was like, Well, it's your own business, so you know that's it's in its infancy. Yeah. Um, and all these other guys were getting the pretty trucks and the good horses and the drapes and everything. And he goes, Darwin, the only thing you have to be is the last man standing. And and I have to say it's the best piece of advice that that I've ever been given, um, because you know, it's the turtle and the you know. Absolutely, yeah. And I've watched a lot of my friends come and go. So instead. Yep, and and a lot of times you get in situations where you're expendable, and all of a sudden your job is gone for whatever reason, however it was financed or what have you. You know, so I say to women out, the first thing you have to do is just be devoted to your passion. And I don't care what it is in the in the horse industry, you know, whether it's being a steward, a judge, a horse trainer, an instructor, we need you all. Right. So, you know, they're all super important. Um, and I think too, you know, it's a physical sport to beat the band. And you can't fall but so many times and get back up as quick as you used to. Right. And I know, you know, now I'm 61 this year, and you know, I don't bounce as good as I do. I don't even walk as good as I used to. You know, so I've had to kind of reinvent myself a lot. Um, as you know, I sh when I moved to North Carolina, we had a before I moved to North Carolina, we had a farm in Smithfield and we had like 50 horses in training and staff of nine and trucks and trailers and all sorts of stuff. And you know, when I hit 50, I decided that, you know what, I'm gonna start a healthy exit strategy without exiting. Right. And I think that's important for my colleagues when your body starts to say, you need to listen up here, you know, because I don't want to be, I see so many, many of my colleagues that are training way too many horses riding not very um pleasant horses to be on, challenging. They're just I'm not saying they're not pleasant, they're just overly challenging, you know, and you have to grind a few times, break a hip, break an whatever. Yeah, you don't come back like you used to. And the other thing too is that there's so many young people that are coming up, you know, that you need to help. Your knowledge is gold. And and that's kind of where I started to go. You know, I I picked a couple of young trainers. I have a new young trainer here who's starting her own business. This was her first year starting her own business, you know. So I'm trying to help her pilot that um a little bit, and there's a couple of other trainers um that I do the same thing with. Um they call me phone a friend. Right? Yes, the one luxury. You know, so you know, it's and I think that's important that we get out of the way. You know, get out of the way, you know, let them stumble, let them fall, pick them up, brush them off, send them on their way. Um you're you're gonna be useful all the time and unless your ego is caught up in it.

Rose Cushing 11:42

Right, right, that makes sense.

Virginia Godwin 11:43

And and I guess my identity was never in the ribbons, it was in the ride.

Speaker 4 11:48

Yeah.

Virginia Godwin 11:49

So um I've had more rides in rings at training centers, you know, where we operated, that I was more proud of than any national champion ride I ever had. Right. And no one ever saw it. Right, because that's where you see the results.

Rose Cushing 12:03

I mean, for the first time. Yep, that makes sense. Yeah, definitely. We can't be successful without your donations as our partners. Every event that Cushing Media Productions produce donates one dollar from ticket sales to Cushing Equestrian Fund. Join us, Cushing Equestrian Fund, your trusted source in an emergency. Follow us on Facebook and you can donate on our website, www.cushingmedia.net. So what's left on your bucket list?

Virginia Godwin 12:35

You know what, I am absolutely the luckiest person on the planet to say that I have done everything in this industry that I wanted to do. I wanted to, you know, and I don't know many people that can say that. Right. Um, you know, started as a young trainer, started, started right from the get-go with my own business, which was really scary. Um, but it paid off. Um decided I was not going to be a judge until I had shown every discipline on the national level that I was going to judge. You know, so once I did that, then I started to pursue that. Um and I've had my judge's card, I guess, about seven years, but I've been so fortunate to have judged um youth nationals, um, Midsummer Nationals, the Scottsdale Show, U.S. Nationals. You know, those are just amazing events to, I mean, when you walk in on those green shavens and say, wow, your peers that you have been with all your lives now want your opinion. Right. You know, so so that was a big, you know, that's a that's a real important part of my life now. And the other thing is, um, you know, because your body starts to say, slow down, um, you know, I decided that that I was gonna try and put Humpty Dumpty back together again. And not myself, which I probably we should do that, but um, um now I have a rehab business. Um and it's called Professional Performance Solutions, and I go to all the major shows, and we manage about 250 horses with different types of equipment, um, lasers, magna wave, um, yeah, and then have discussions about nutrition, nutrition, farrier, you know, and and now it's because you've been I've been training horses for in the eons and decades. Um now I can also institute that part of it. You know, I can you know the horse is getting sore, you know, so tell me what the discipline is, tell me how you warm it up, you know, and sometimes we can come up with a solution just in technique. Right. So it's been real full circle, that has just taken off like crazy. That's awesome. Because there's not a whole lot of people that do that with your background. Well, I mean, that's just it. It's it's that's what makes it so fun. So now I'm behind the scenes. Um, yeah, it's great. I get to see my friends, I get to work on amazing horses, don't have to wear the clothes. Yeah. Yeah, because you're there for the horse. Right, right. And and it's just that the horses, you know, that that we have um earned the right, and and I will say that underlined to work on, you know, are just some of the best in our industry. You know, and to walk in that stall and know that, you know, the owner and the trainer is depending on you to come up with a solution to make it better. You know, and it's it's it's a thrill. Absolutely. Wow.

Rose Cushing 15:41

I didn't know you had all I knew you had the Magna Wave, but you've come a long way from the street. Yeah, it's gone, you know.

Virginia Godwin 15:45

I just hired an assistant, um, you know, so it's growing, and um I've kind of, you know, you know, she's shadowing me now, and and I'm hoping that, you know, that's gonna, she's amazing. Um, that's gonna kind of take off, you know, on its own accord. Right.

Rose Cushing 16:01

Now you had a stallion last time we talked. Do you still have him?

Virginia Godwin 16:05

I do. Um we actually I actually had two. Um I had one um that I own myself, and then we actually inherited one when we bought the farm. He's still here. I just love him. I don't care what he does. Right. Actually, I'm actually kind of excited because um Jesse Chase um came out to visit and he saw him and he really likes him, so I'm sending him to Jesse and said, make him great.

Speaker 3 16:28

Yeah.

Virginia Godwin 16:28

You know, because he's you know has kind of a ranch horse look to him or reigning look to him. Jesse's great, and I'm really excited that um he's gonna go that route. And my other style I sold. Oh and now um he's gonna be a youth horse, so I'm really excited about that too. That is so nice.

Rose Cushing 16:47

So, in in your history and your career, you were telling me about the driving. How would you give people advice to get involved with driving?

Virginia Godwin 16:56

Well, um, you know what? Driving, um, it's a lot of fun. Um you really have to do your homework because there's nothing worse than a driving wreck. It's one thing when you're learning to ride and you fall off, and if you're in a group, you know, most of the time everything's okay. You know, if you didn't fall too bad or whatever, you'll get up, dust yourself off, and get back on. If you have a driving problem where the horse gets away from you and now you've got a loose buggy in the ring, then you've got a real problem. You know, so you really have to accept the responsibility of what can happen and what are you going to do about it, you know, if you're driving this horse around, and well, believe me, there's nothing more thrilling than seeing a horse's neck as tall as a tree in front of you, and you can also see his knees and everything else. However, um, when they start kicking at you, and all of a sudden you get a leg over a shaft, that's a whole nother deal. Yeah. You know, so you also have to have all the players in place, and that is a qualified header. And I think a lot of people, I see a lot of people driving that they'll say, Oh, just pull somebody, hey, come head for me, and they have no idea what to do if the horse were to rear or bolt or take off or what have you in the lineup. So there's so many things that you have to be responsible for because there's so many things that can go wrong. And if they do, you know, I've you know, I've had a wheel fall off, I've had a trace break, I've had a rain come undone, you know, and you have to have a plan. I would think you're in real trouble. You know, but you know, I don't want to scare anybody off of it, you know, because it's also a thrill, and you know, you've got the like the saddlebred type horses, you know, which the horse that I was driving was half saddlebred, half arab. You know, so it was a fine harness kind of a look and feel. Now you can get involved in carriage driving and obstacle driving, which is a little um lower key, you know, the horses aren't quite so amped up. Great way to start. Absolutely great way to start. Right.

Speaker 1 19:12

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Virginia Godwin 20:13

You know, probably what I do want to mention is that there's so many people that participated in getting me where I am today. And they supported my passion, they worked really hard, they worked themselves to the bone. And your success is based on who you're surrounded by. So, you know, I think that would be something really important for the younger folks. It's not about the check, it's not about the Almighty Dollar, it's not about the ribbon. You know, there are huge life lessons here. You know, and the network that you form because you weren't bad mouthing someone, or you know, or you weren't being a bad sport or that kind of a deal, or you weren't stealing a client or selling a horse that you know that person should not buy, all those things will haunt you. Um, and so I think integrity is key, and you just need to write it on your hand and look at that word every day before you make a decision. Um, so you know, that will be one thing because it's the the people that I have was so fortunate to have um behind me grooms, stall cleaners, vets, farriers, you name it, friends, you know, Beth, you know, it's it's you you know, they're priceless.

Rose Cushing 21:37

I agree with you, the horse world is a small world after all. Very and everything you do bad will find juices or later.

Virginia Godwin 21:44

Well, and I'll tell you something else my dad told me, you know, he's you know, the other thing he said, listen, someone's always watching. And in today's world video in you. Well, I know, and the the cell phones and everything else, and and you've got to be really, really careful um, because all of a sudden you'll be on Facebook in a situation that you don't want to be on Facebook or you know we you know when we were all in this there was no social media. Yeah. There wasn't even a computer. Right. Right. Telling my age now. But um, you know, so it's so crazy. It's good and bad. Absolutely. You know, I think that that I'd I'd like to see, and and I'll tell you, with the whole COVID thing, you know, there is a silver lining to that. And and Rodney, thank God you survived that, and thank the Lord. Um, you know, but it it's amazing how close families are getting because they can't go anywhere. Sure. The horse business is doing great because they're buying horses so these kids can be outside. Um, and you know, not that we have the masses come to the farm because we won't allow that right now, but um there, I think that you see more kids outside than on their cell phones and on their computers and you know, playing in video games or you know, or what have you. And I know that COVID thing has been a terrible, terrible situation. Um, but I think that, you know, that it that it has had um a positive effect on parenting and you know, especially when you gotta teach your kids at home and and now get out of the house and go to the barn.

Speaker 3 23:24

Yeah.

Rose Cushing 23:25

I I agree with you. I mean, it's it's um it was a rough year, but it's also been a good year for us because we've been able to reflect on our life and figure out what we really want. And we're all of a sudden you know what you have priorities, and they're like like real priorities. Yeah, you know, I mean I I'm not gonna be running with my hair on fire anymore. I'm gonna do it slow and easy at at my pace and have balance and family and uh and I I think that's a there's a message right there. Absolutely, because I wasn't, I kept thinking I always I would have time for that later. And I realized this year that you don't. No, no, you sure don't. So we we are spending a lot of time with our kids and our grandkids and each other, and and uh the business is not the most important thing in my life anymore.

Virginia Godwin 24:09

Well, but I tell you one thing, Rose, and and and I hope you leave this on this podcast. Your support of people like me is priceless. That means so much to me. I I have to tell you, um, because you we have not known each other very long, but um, but you have really you know inspired me, number one, to to be concerned about the media and use it as a tool and and all those things. And you do such a good job, and every time you put something on TV or the computer or whatever, we are on it. Thank you. Thank you.

Rose Cushing 24:45

That means a lot, you know. Um during COVID I wasn't gonna come back to work because I mean I haven't done anything in a year, you know, and I thought, well, uh is anybody gonna want to come, you know, to my events or anything? And and I've had a very warm reception coming back into it.

Virginia Godwin 25:00

Well, but you're smart enough, just like what you're doing here, to reinvent yourself. Yeah. That's what everybody's having to do with this whole COVID deal. You know, so alright, so now you're faced with there are no horse shows, right? Or there are not many. Um, so it you and there was so much emphasis put on take over to the horse show, go to the horse show. And I'm like, you better start taking these people trail riding, you know, or doing something with their horse, or yeah. You know, because it's if you don't have a the horse show can't be the only thing that drives you or drives your um livelihood. I agree with you. You know, so you I mean, but people still to this day, after a thousand of years, want to learn how to ride.

Rose Cushing 25:47

Yeah, they do. And and they want creative ways to have that relationship with the horse. You know, it's not about the ribbon anymore like it used to be. They want that connection.

Virginia Godwin 25:56

No, they're I mean, it it's your livelihood if it's their pet, yeah. Hey, my God, they're not gonna get rid of it. That's right. That's absolutely right. You know, and I think that the problem is with some of the the young trainers and stuff is that you know, they want the next best thing. They want the big, you know, they want the next the next latest and greatest horse in the barn. Yes. And um, you know, I'm really trying to preach that if you can keep that horse going, take care of it and not be in a hurry and not blow its legs off and not blow its mind, you know, those people will stay in it. You know, they don't have the same um, you know, a lot of clients don't have the same dreams and the same um, you know, goals that you have. That's true and I think that's where it gets a little skewed too, that you really need to find out what the goals of your client, and it may just be to have that horse until it's 30 years old. Yeah. So you better take good care of it. Yeah. And I'm not saying you can't go to some horse shows or stuff, but you know, don't get hung up, you know, on you.

Rose Cushing 26:59

Right. Right. I agree. That's very, very good advice for people. Very good. Awesome. Well, thank you for spending time with us. No, and I've so enjoyed it. I enjoyed this, so I think that that'll probably be on a podcast. So I hope you enjoyed today's show. Our souls wander in similar places, even though we may not know each other, we touch the same wind, we walk under the same sky, and our hearts wander in the same dreams. We are one. Women, just like you and me. Thank you for listening.