MILWAUKEE, Wisc. - The calendar indicated it was spring. The name of the event was the 62nd Milwaukee Spring Horse Show. In fact, just about everything would tell you it was spring, everything but the thermometer that is!
Blustery temperatures welcomed trainers and exhibitors to the State Fairgrounds May 16-19 for the sixty-second edition of the spring show, a show which started as a little two-day preseason get together and grew to one of the major early shows laden with world class stock from the Wisconsin, Illinois, and Minnesota barns. There were many new combinations this year which made it interesting from everyone's standpoint.
"It was very cold, but it was also a very good show," said manager Maggie Robertson, who along with her husband, ringmaster George Robertson, announced this would be their last year as officials of the show. Both popular characters have been involved with the event for more than 50 years. "We were up on horses and I thought in many classes any of the top three could have won."
Saying goodbye to their official roles is going to be hard, but Maggie has assured us that as long as she can get in a buggy she will still be showing her road pony and they will also be there to cheer for their daughter and granddaughter.
"It's been a great association," added Maggie. "We will have been married 50 years in August and George used to help my father put stalls up even before we were married. I've seen barns ripped up and new ones built. I've seen us grow from a little local show to a show I'm quite proud of in terms of quality. It is a good location to attract horses from three different states. Sometimes it can be like a rodeo since it's the first show of the year for many of the horses and riders but we get performance horses when they are fresh so we see some pretty good performances. George and I kind of just grew into it. We lived here and George used to steward before he was asked to ringmaster."
The biggest event of the week might have been keeping a special presentation for the Robertsons a secret. On Saturday evening Maggie was escorted to center ring by the ever efficient show secretary Vicky Holston to stand with George while announcer Dennis Porick read the script detailing their association with the show and what it has meant to the exhibitors over the years. "Everyone on the grounds knew about it but us," said Maggie. "I don't know how they did it."
For the complete show story see the printed edition of Saddle Horse Report dated June 3, 2002.