Cody Parmenter Photography

09/08/2026

📸💰Arena show specials are available all week! Check them out online at www.codyparmenter.com.

09/07/2026

This past week has been a mix of exciting, emotional, and honestly, a little terrifying.

When Steele injured himself back in February, I truly thought all of my dreams for him were over. There were moments when I wondered if he would ever come back, let alone return to the show pen.

But Steele had other plans.

He healed amazingly well, and his rehabilitation journey was as smooth as we could have hoped for. He came back from his injury stronger—both mentally and physically—than he was before.

A huge thank you to the incredible team at Mid-South Equine for taking such amazing care of him through his rehabilitation, and to Cira Baeck for carefully and thoughtfully bringing him back into work. Thanks to their expertise, patience, and dedication, Steele has made a full recovery.

Once he was back in training, he was doing incredibly well “at home.” His confidence grew, his body got stronger, and his maneuvers became more and more solid.

But there is a HUGE difference between doing your job at home and doing it when the pressure is on in the show pen.

So this past week became the real test.

Not just physically, but mentally and emotionally.

Physically

Could his body handle the demands of showing again? The stops, spins, lead changes, circles, transitions and all the physical stress that comes with performing a reining pattern?

Mentally

Could he stay focused when there were new surroundings, other horses, a crowd, noise, and all the distractions that come with being at a show?

Emotionally

Could he trust his rider, trust himself, and stay confident when he started feeling pressure?

Steele has had anxiety in the show pen before. When he became worried, he would sometimes shut down, and his turns, lead changes and stops were areas where that anxiety really showed.

So our goal this week wasn’t about chasing a score.

It was about building confidence, focus and trust.

And every single time he walked into that pen, he got a little better.

A little more confident.

A little more focused.

A little more comfortable.

And, as those pieces started coming together, the scores started coming up too.

A HUGE shout-out to Cira for believing in Steele and putting so much time, thought and care into his comeback.

And another huge thank you to Brooklyn and Jeronimo for riding him in his three different classes this week. They worked with him in the schooling pen, helped him through the moments when he needed reassurance, and put all those little building blocks together so he could be successful.

Most importantly, they didn’t turn the heat up too quickly. They let him tell them what he was ready for and kept the entire experience positive.

And I truly believe that was the biggest win of the week.

Steele didn’t just go back into the show pen.

He learned that the show pen can be a good place.

After everything that happened in February, watching him walk back in there with confidence was something I honestly wasn’t sure I would ever get to see.

This week wasn’t about proving what Steele can do.

It was about reminding him how good he can be.

And I think we’ve only just started.

The best is yet to come. 🩶🖤🤍

Cira Baeck Reining Horses
Cody Parmenter Photography
Mid-South Equine Sports Medicine and Surgery

09/06/2026

🎬Another great 100X Reining Classic is in the books! We captured a lot of exciting moments so we’ll have the show specials available all week online. Make sure to check out your photos at codyparmenter.com

Thank you and safe travels to all!

09/06/2026

09/04/2026

The Florida Gold & Florida Gulf Coast Quarter Horse Circuits are pleased to present a $15,000 NSBA All-Breed, Non-Pro Trail class. An updated showbill with all of the details is coming soon.

📸: Cody Parmenter Photography

09/04/2026

With a score of 39.5, Dany Tremblay repeats his Super Slide victory in Tulsa!

Find 100X Shows Reining Classic Results here ➡️ https://bit.ly/4gZCIIb
Read about Dany's 2025 win here ➡️ https://bit.ly/46601tW

Image by Cody Parmenter Photography

09/04/2026

He may not have a million-dollar pedigree. But he has a million-dollar heart. 🩶

There have been more times than I can count when I have thought, “Was it all for nothing?”

Times when I questioned why I sent my heart horse to live in another country for several years. Why I made the sacrifices. Why I watched him from thousands of miles away. Why I kept believing in what I thought he could become when there were certainly easier choices.

But the truth is, I wanted to give him every opportunity to become as cool as I hoped he would be.

Is Steele by a million-dollar sire? No.

Is he out of a mare with huge earnings? No.

But you know what he does have?

Try.

A LOT of it.

Steele is a horse who genuinely wants to please. He wants to find the right answer. He is a yes horse.

He doesn’t really say “no.” Sometimes he says, “I don’t know…” But if you ask the question a little differently, help him understand what you’re looking for, and give him a chance to process it, he will try his heart out to find the right answer.

And sometimes, that means more to me than any pedigree or paycheck ever could.

Watching Steele step into the show pen for the second time this week and come in noticeably more confident, more focused, and more comfortable was incredibly emotional.

The goal of this show was never about winning.

The goal was positive experiences.

Get in the pen. Have a good ride. Learn that the show environment isn’t something to fear. Don’t put enormous expectations on him. Don’t get upset when he isn’t perfect.

Because at the end of the day, he’s a horse. And horses aren’t machines. They aren’t going to be perfect every single time.

Steele has struggled with performance anxiety in the past — he would get worried about doing the wrong thing, and that worry could make even maneuvers he knew how to do feel much harder. Instead of confidently trying, he’d get into his own head and become unsure.

So this week, we took a different approach.

Brooklyn, who is Cira’s Assistant and who is also new to showing got the honours to ride Steele this week. That meant there wasn’t the same pressure that comes with stepping into the pen in the higher-level classes. Instead, the two of them could learn together, support each other, and give Steele the opportunity to realize that the show pen isn’t a scary place.

And watching the difference between his first ride and his second has been incredible.

Because make no mistake — the pressure these horses carry in that arena is BIG. Everyone wants to win. And to win, you have to bring the heat.

Steele is riding in a pen alongside some truly elite horses — the best of the best. Horses with incredible records, incredible pedigrees, and years of experience under pressure.

And Steele is learning how to belong there.

He’s learning that the lights, the atmosphere, the expectations and the pressure don’t have to overwhelm him.

The more times he walks through that gate, the more comfortable he’ll become. The more comfortable he becomes, the more he can think. And the more he can think, the more he can show us what he is actually capable of.

Keep trying, Steele. That’s all I’ve ever really asked of you.

Cody Parmenter Photography 📸

Cira Baeck Reining Horses

09/03/2026

💪🏼😎

Three days left at the 100X Reining Classic. Don’t forget to view and purchase arena photos online at www.codyparmenter.com!