Avella native is world renowned horse competition judge, trainer
Lori Gordon is a 1986 Avella graduate and a world renowned American Quarter Horse Association judge and professional horseman.
Daren Wright, an American Quarter Horse Association judge, poses for a picture with Lori Gordon.
Lori Gordon, left, poses for a picture with Maiko Takagi, the manager of a show Gordon judged in Japan.
By John Sacco
Lori Gordon’s entry into the world of horses was truly a spiritual experience.
“I found a pony for sale in the Observer-Reporter for $50, which was exactly how much I had from communion.
“Without my parent’s consent, I bought the pony with my First Holy Communion money and convinced my Uncle Don to put his racks on his truck and haul the new pony to his farm. I bartered with the sellers. I would give them $48 for the pony and $2 for the tack and brushes.
“My parents were less than thrilled.”
Gordon, an Avella native and Washington resident, purchased the horse because she determined the horse she owned was too small.
Her grandfather bought her a pony for $20 when she was 3-years-old. The pony lived at Uncle Don’s farm. Gordon said her mother would have to visit her at the farm because Gordon would not leave her pony.
“My mother said my first words were horse,” Gordon recalled. “I was hooked ever since my grandfather bought that pony for me. When I was in the 4th grade, I thought (my) pony was too small.”
That’s when the spirit moved her to make her first horse purchase.
“I always rode and showed in high school and college, and after college, I worked in corporate advertising for four years, but I knew my niche was the horses,” she said.
In 1986, Gordon, a graduate of Avella High School and West Liberty University, founded, along with her stepfather and mother – Pat and John Post – a horse marketing and training business offering training, marketing, judging, lessons and clinics in Taylorstown.
That has led to an incredible journey for Gordon, who owns and works with post quarter horses and is a worldwide renowned American Quarter Horse Association (AQHA) Judge and Professional Horseman.
She also owns Gordon Real Estate.
“I began buying rental properties in 1995 mainly because I was self-employed as a retirement avenue,” Gordon said. “I do, however, appreciate architecture and love to decorate, so it has been really enjoyable for me. I manage all my own rentals and spend as much time as I need to keep them in pristine shape and everything in order. I now own five properties.”
Small town girl has made good. Real good.
“I love all animals, but horses are special having such beauty, heart and empowerment,” she said. “I love showing because the process of training a horse from start to finish for each event is quite intricate and rewarding when you finally arrive at a finished product.
“Each animal is unique as each individual, and your program must change for each one to bring that individual animal to fruition, enhancing their strong features and downplaying the weak. You have to read their psyche and develop a program that lets that horse blossom.”
Being a judge has allowed Gordon to view a variety of horses in several states and countries. Horses have literally helped her get to travel anywhere.
“I love judging because it is a completely different venue from showing,” Gordon said. “I always loved school, and the academic part of the judging is as fulfilling as applying my skills as a horseman to sort and place a class.
“I started judging in 1986 – 4-H and open shows – and then every few years would apply and test for another breed card to judge bigger shows.”
She currently holds 10 judge’s cards, including The American Quarter Horse Association. Gordon has judged all over the United States, Canada, Europe and in Japan and Australia.
“I love to travel as well, so turning my passion of a horse career into a living has been such a blessing for me,” she added. “I always had a lot of ambition, and I am not easily deterred. I always wanted a career with horses where I could travel, with a challenge that I loved to do.”
Judging is a lot of work. “Studying and learning is essential.
“Each breed is an entity of its own with its own registry, rulebook, guidelines and proper protocol,” Gordon explained. “Judging scoring systems vary from breed to breed. But basically, we have a scoresheet and scoring system consisting of penalties and maneuver scores for each class that are used to judge, score, and place each exhibitor.
“There are conflict protocols in place like not judging too many shows in the same state too close to each other and not judging relatives, clients and business associates within a certain time frame. We cannot converse with exhibitors nor speak with them by email, social media or phone.”
Gordon stressed that because each breed is different, “like apples and oranges,” the racehorse world is an entirely separate entity from the show world.
Showing and training horses is also a passion for Gordon. She started by purchasing cheaper horses, training them, showing them and selling them.
“Training and showing them and then selling them. Once you can make lemonade out of lemons, people will start sending you horses for training and to sell,” she said. “I offered a training, coaching, sales consignment package and sales listing service as well as judging and lessons.
“Over time, I got more quality horses to train and show and at one point was selling about 100 horses a year. I eventually got better clients and nice enough stock for me and my clients. I coached to compete and place at the AQHA World Show in Oklahoma City, OK and All-American Quarter Horse Congress in Columbus, Ohio – the largest breed show in the world.”
Gordon added that shows vary from breed to breed, state to state, association to association. Some have 10,000 entries for 14 days with 20 judges. Others have 100 entries, with one judge lasting a day. World Level and larger shows may have 200 entries per class. Small weekend shows may have one entry per class. A judge’s day may last 16 hours or could last six.
“The industry is vast, varied and diverse,” said Gordon, who co-authored a handbook for beginning riders – The Teenage Rider’s Handbook – in the late 1990s.
“My mother’s brother, Paul Eakin, was a renowned horseman, and my grandfather and uncles loved horses. After getting my first pony, there was no turning back. The horse has always been a part of my soul. My lifetime passion. I am just blessed to do what I love for a living. I guess you could say it is in my genes.”