One of Ronnie and Vickie's highest highs came Saturday night in Fort Worth resulting in a big win for their home-bred two year-old and a $100,000 paycheck. The lowest low came exactly two years ago when the Kent's show horses, Wonit Ona RV Version and Ill Be RV Radical died in a trailer accident.



Vickie tells her story to GoHorseShow
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"It is still really hard to deal with. We put these horses in that situation. We put them in the trailer and then they died because of our actions. There are constant reminders when we go to horse shows about the horses we lost. They are like our kids. We raised them, and I definitely know that the time I spend with the horses that I have now is more important because they may be gone tomorrow."



In September 2009, tragedy struck the couple when they were travelilng in their motorhome on their way to Santa Barbara, when their trailer hitch broke free in Big Spring, Texas. The 2009 Select World Champion, Wonit Ona RV Version, died in the accident. The 2001 bay gelding by Good Verison x Ill Be Dun Wonit was bred and raised by the Kents. Right before the accident, 2008 AQHA High Point Amateur horse had just been crowned the 2009 Select World Champion in Showmanship and was also Reserve World Champion in Performance Halter Geldings. 



Ronnie and Vickie's other horse, Ill Be RV Radical,

also a 2009 Select World Champion, survived the

accident but suffered severe lacerations. The mare

survived just over a month but was unable to be

saved due to founder of her right hind leg. 



Ronnie Kent also talks about his thoughts about

going through such a tragedy. "It was really hard

to start over and to continue showing young

horses after the trailer accident. We just had to

take one step and a time," he says. "Iff we didn't

have each other, I don't think we would have made

it back in the show arena. We pick each other up

and keep each other going."



The Kents are in current litigation with the trailer

company. They maintain that they bought the best

trailer hitch on teh market. "It was supposed to be

strong enough, but it broke," she said. "I still worry

when we haul them, but we still go down the road

in our motor home and bumper pull. We can only

try to be as safe as possible-- some things are just

out of your control."

​

Ronnie and Vicke were devasted over the accident,

but the horse industry surrounded them with well

wishes and condolences. The Kents continued

showing their new prospects.

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"People encouraged us to go to a show right after the accident, "Vickie remembers. "It was the second hardest thing I had ever done, but i just love horses and showing."

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Their dedication to the sport they love was never more apparent than the Saturday night when the couple's home-bred two year-old, Won Lopin RV Machine won the Reichert $250,000 Two Year Old Western Pleasure with Jay Starnes aboard. 



Vickie said shed loved working with the Starnes and says they are very funny and superstitious. "We were very excited we won the class. I thought we had the best horse," Vickie says. "The Starnes always go through a special routine before they show. Kristy has to band the mane, and Jay's mom alwyas had to wear the same blue boots with the same dirt on them at the Reichert before he goes into the pen. it may be sill, but it appears to work."



One interesting fact about the Kents is they raised all of these outstanding horses with their superior western pleasure mare turned broodmare--Ill Be Dun Won It. She is the dam of Wonit Ona RV Version, Ill Be RV Radical, RV Won Good Version, Won Good RV Machine (Reserve 2012 Masters and Third 2 Year-Old World Show with Jay Starnes), and Won Lopin RV Machine. RV Won Good Version was also fourth at the 2010 World Show in Junior Trail with Robin Frid. They also have seven full sibilins to the recent Reichert Champion as well as five half siblings. They have three babies out of the mare Ill Be RV Radical that passed away in the accident. The Kents would like to thank McDuffee Quarter Horses for doing such a fabulous job with all the embryo transfers. The Kents wanted to let everyone know that "Some of them are for sale, too!" 



This article is by Laura Kathryn Gilmer, GoHorseShow.com, Published 09/13/2011