Team "Tibbs Sisters" Throwbacks and Off to Tulsa

Barbara showing Omar and Laurie showing Tiny back in their early 4-H days. 

It's hard to tell this story in the half hour I have yet to write, but I'll do my best.  Another chapter in the lives of the Tibbs Sisters Equine Team has been unfolding over the past few months and will be heading toward its grand finale this  coming weekend. 

Barbara, Laurie, my brother Kevin and Babara's Half Arabian gelding Dusty aka Ravenwood DunIn Style, will be heading down the road, bound for Tulsa, Okla., and the 2017  Arabian National Horse Show.  

With Kevin as official groom, my sisters will take turns late next week showing Dusty in four national championship classes, including trail, showmanship, Western Pleasure and Western Horsemanship. 

They've been to Nationals before (showing and judging competitions), including the Canadian Nationals and the Arabian Sport Horse Nationals, but this will be the first time they will pair off showing the same horse. 

This current dream has become easier this year because Barbara and Laurie recently retired from long and successful careers as respected local educators. 

As a pair of sisters who have loved horses since their toddler days, Barbara and Laurie have always worked as a team, helping each other, encouraging each other, even, at times, competing against each other and always celebrating each other.   

To say their accomplishments in the horse world are phenomenal is almost an understatement.  

Yes, they're very good at what they do, and they've always been fun to watch because their constant efforts of strive toward perfection.

Their success has come through years and years of learning, practicing, competing and with a little help from their friends and the experts.  

One such, who's come full circle, as their student and most recently as their riding coach, is Monty Collison who grew up in Sandpoint. He's been working with both sisters  weekly for the past few months. 

Barbara and Laurie also always have keen eyes for good horses. As teenagers, both competed at nationals as youth judges after their teams took first place at state.  

Time after time, their sharp eyes for equine quality has made the difference in their local, regional and national horse show successes.

This time, Dusty, a beautiful buckskin with four-white stockings and a strip, will have his chance to shine. 

Dusty, like a lot of family horses, comes from Ravenwood Arabians in Ronan, Mont. 

In fact, Barbara's Dusty was the first of several to come from the ranch, owned by Jane Bohn where generally more than a hundred beautiful Egyptian Arabians roam the pastures at the base of the Mission Mountains. 

We, as a family, will be cheering Barbara and Laurie on as they strive for one more inspiring achievement on their horse-related bucket list.  

We're all proud of them, as we have been every step of the way since their childhood. Wishing them the best as they take off down the trail toward Tulsa.

Good luck, Barbara and Laurie.  You've come a long way, and, no doubt, you still have a long ways to go with your four-legged friends. 

Barbara in her slightly younger days not too far from horses at the North Boyer farm. 

Barbara and big brother Kevin, riding Largo at the North Boyer Farm. 

A few years later:  Kevin and Barbara on a St. Jude's Trail Ride at Western Pleasure Guest Ranch. 

Sisters Laurie and Barbara on a trip to Michigan.

Barbara meets her beloved Dusty for the first time at Ravenwood Arabians. 

Lefty and Dusty were the first family horses to come from Ravenwood Arabians to Sandpoint.  Who showed them?  Barbara and Laurie, of course!

Laurie, Barbara and close friend Roxzene Bockstruck, who raised Mani, a beloved National Champ from Tibbs Arabians. 

Always supporting each other's triumphs; Barbara helps Laurie at an exhibition after Laurie and her gelding Mani returned from the Arabian Sport Horse Nationals  a few years ago with a lot of nice loot. 

Monty Collison

Jen Weber, Jane Bohn, Kevin and Laurie at Ravenwood Arabians. 

Laurie working with Dusty, yesterday.  She'll show him in showmanship and in Western Horsemanship. 

Barbara happily working Dusty on her first day of official retirement. She'll be showing her 10-year-old gelding in trail and Western Pleasure classes at Nationals.