Clinton Anderson

Ten
million $
man
Do you see the smile? How could you miss it! But go beyond
that wide smile, the baby blues and soft hands and you find
an astute businessman with superb marketing skills
and enough energy to light the whole of Australia.
Clinton Anderson is a boy from Oz who has taken on the
Yanks and beaten them at their own game. Last year his
business, Downunder Horsemanship, grossed US$10 million.
He has sold more than three hundred thousand of his
training DVDs, videos and books, has two weekly television
shows and has attracted hundreds of thousands of American
horsemen and women to his horsemanship clinics.
By MaryAnne Leighton
Q
Clinton second from right, a member of the Cairns
Polocrosse Team 1990
Mail
To the AQHA, (Horse Back Riding
Program),
I would like to thank the Staff and Board
at the AQHA for having this wonderful
program.
As I do not show or ride western, only
English, this gives me something to
work towards while doing the thing I
love most. I would like to say the quality
of the garments are lovely and people
have said what a great idea it is.
I have a mare MissNRule Q-51221 she
is 4 ½ years and I have broken her
in myself and she is going well. I also
have a colt Bellgara King Jazz Q-58331
he is 1 ½ years and I have just made a
start on him. He came from QLD and is
such a lovely little guy, so well mannered for his age. I am going to have
a heap of fun with him. Then I have
my old girl The Stables Miss Jessie
Q-9951, she is 24 years. I have had her
for 20 years and have grown up with
her by my side. Over the years she has
given me so much pleasure with everything I have done with her. She is one
in a million I can not convey how much
I love her. Everyone just loves her and
over the years people have wanted to
buy her, but I would never part with her.
She has given me the best part of her
life. I can only hope I get as much from
the other two as I have from her. They
are the best horses to have without a
doubt.
Regards,
Yvette Thorbury
“IT’S MAGIC”
Horses are Clinton’s passion. Raised in Cairns,
Clinton was born in Innisfail in north Queensland in 1975 to non-horsy parents but he was
blessed with indulgent grandparents who
bought him his first pony when he was nine. It
is an understatement to suggest that Clinton
has an enquiring mind; even at that tender age
he was passionate about learning everything
about horses. He asked questions of everyone
he met and soaked up the answers, gaining
enough experience to convince neighbourhood
kids to entrust him with their horses, for which
he charged them $50 a month training fees.
At the age of thirteen Clinton began playing
polocrosse and was soon selected for a national
junior polocrosse team. His grandparents drove
seventeen hours to take him to a polocrosse
clinic at Longreach given by Rockhampton
clinician and trainer, Gordon McKinlay, and it
was in Gordon that he found the catalyst he had
been searching for. He said, ‘At thirteen I was
the only kid there but I got more out of Gordon
than anyone. I asked a billion questions and
got a billion answers.’ Gordon McKinlay was
equally impressed with the dynamic kid from
Innisfail. He said, ‘I had never in my life met
anyone so keen to learn.’ Gordon invited Clinton
to work with him during school holidays and two
years later Clinton simply did not go home. He
dropped out of school – with the support of his
parents but against the advice of his teachers
and guidance counsellor – to work full time for
Gordon in exchange for room and board. For
the next two years he worked seven days a
week, gaining a hands-on education and learning his trade through handling 600-plus horses,
many of which were problem horses and brumbies. He was in his element and said, ‘I loved it!’
Clinton also assisted Gordon at clinics, gaining
an understanding of how to satisfy attendees’
expectations and learning what is involved in
staging such an event.
Clinton at the 1995
Halter Extravaganza
on Miss Pinaroo Doc
Q-25701
AUSTRALIAN HALTER SHOWCASE
Thank you to each and every member
of the Australian Halter Showcase Committee for making the 10th Anniversary
Show the success that it was. Once
again as in every year for 10 years now
the members of the AHS Committee
have put on a MAGIC show. The competitor numbers were HUGE this year
and the amount of work that each and
every Commitee Member had to do was
done yet again with that same friendlyness that you see every other year.
Every year these same people come up
trumps with this great show.
We are sincere when we thank you all,
Pam, George and Sarah Neal
Snake Valley Quarter Horses.
Ian Francis recalls meeting the seventeen-yearold Clinton. ‘I’d seen this skinny kid about with
Gordon and Enid McKinlay. He was keen and
he could work. I saw Enid give him a tune-up for
something he’d done wrong and he didn’t seem
intimidated by the criticism.’ This thick skin and
ability to focus on the issue at hand was useful
when Clinton asked Ian for a job breaking and
shoeing young horses. ‘I figured Clinton had
been inoculated with a gramophone needle;
he near drove me mad with the questions he
asked. Now, I can be a bit testy when I am trying
to concentrate on sorting out a horse and someone starts asking me questions, but that never
bothered Clinton. He would just file away the
answer and start working on the next question.’
Clinton spent twelve months with Ian, watching
and absorbing everything and asking, asking,
asking questions. Ian not only answered all the
questions but he gave Clinton a valuable insight
into ‘feel’ for a horse and how to teach it, at the
same time teaching him how to get a horse
ready for showing. Clinton says seventy percent
of what he teaches his students now is what he
learned from Ian Francis and Gordon McKinlay.
At eighteen Clinton went out on his own as a
horse trainer with the help of his parents who
bought 66 acres at Rockhampton. There he
trained ‘everything that came through the gate.’
Everything, that is, except quality show horses.
He broke and re-educated what seemed like
every rank horse in the district, knocking nothing
back including the really bad ones. His mother,
Cheryl, said, ‘Clinton worked extremely hard all
day, every day for two years and that’s why he’s
as good as he is; the tough horses have given
him the edge.’ Clinton agrees and says the
foundation he laid down in that time means that
there is no horse and no situation with horses
he cannot handle now. Cheryl’s job was to help
her son in the round yard with his first ride on
each horse. ‘I had to push the horses forward to
get them going and Clinton was always telling
me to “get with the program, mum” and “stay
behind the girth, mum”.’ She added, ‘He never
knew how frightened I was or he wouldn’t have
asked me to do the things I did, but he never put
me in a position where I could have been hurt
and I never felt unsafe.’
Pillamindi Doll, Queensland State Champ Yearling Filly ‘95
Clinton began showing his filly, Pillamindi Doll,
whom he had bought as a weanling through an
ad in this magazine. With the young Clinton,
Mindy won nine of her ten halter classes, placed
in lunge line and lead trail at the yearling versatility in Dubbo and was one point off a $3000
bonus prize at the Halter Extravaganza in 1995.
At the 1995 Queensland Quarter Horse Championships Cheryl recalls she had not blacked
Mindy’s feet to Clinton’s satisfaction, ‘He said
to me, “Mum, we do this properly or we don’t
do it at all.” This has always been his attitude
to everything.’ Mindy was State Champion 2YO
filly and the family’s stallion, the imported sixteen-year-old Tarzana Man Q-2723, was State
Champion Stallion, causing a steward to ask if
this was senior citizen’s year. Clinton conducted
his first clinics from Rocky and made his first
training videos. Ian Francis said, ‘I thought he
had a nerve, producing training videos when
he hadn’t even proved a thing competitively but
when I saw his tapes I realised he had done a
good job.’ These early tapes were the seed that
has grown into a huge business of producing
training videos and DVDs.
At 21 Clinton travelled to the US to work with
and bend the ear of Ohio reining trainer, Sam
Smith, who had judged the 1995 Australian
NRHA Futurity, and when the Ohio winters
proved too cold for this young man from north
Queensland, he moved to Arizona to work with,
and ask questions of, Al Dunning. Returning to
Australia in 1997 to show off his new American
wife, Beth, Clinton also competed in the NRHA
Open Futurity on Mindy. The pair won the first
go-round with a blistering run and subsequently
placed third in the final, one point behind the
winner and a half a point behind his mentor, Ian
Francis. Cheryl Anderson said, ‘When he first
started competing in reining, Clinton sent Mindy
to Ian for six weeks’ training. Ian accepted her,
knowing that Clinton would do his best to beat
him in the Futurity. Ian was still helping Clinton
at the Futurity itself and it meant so much to
us that he would do that, we saw it as a sign of
Ian’s true sportsmanship although Ian himself
could see nothing unusual in what he did.’
Clinton and Mindy
The clinic king
Clinton is a self-confessed clinic junkie and
when he returned to the USA in 1998 to work
with (and ask questions of) top reiners Pete
Kyle and Mike Boyle, it became clear to him
that there was more money to be made from
conducting clinics than from training horses. He
said he is amazed at how little the Americans
expect when their horses are trained professionally – what Australian trainers accomplish
in sixty days takes six months or more in the
US. Some American trainers have many more
horses in training than they can possibly handle
so owners are forced to accept slower progress,
longer training times or the work of an assistant rather than the personal attention of the
top man. So in 1998 at the age of 23, with just
$1000 in his pocket and ‘unable to get credit
even to buy new undies’ he started a clinic business, struggling to get it off the ground. Knowing
he would have to work harder and smarter
than anyone else to succeed, he voluntarily
gave demonstrations at horse expos, provided
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‘Big Pete’ is used to carry merchandise. Clinton has a smaller gooseneck for his horses
articles for magazines, ran clinics for as few
as three attendees and ate when he could afford to. However, within the first month he had
eleven clinics booked, all by word of mouth,
and in the first year he ran a total of 48 clinics.
Having attended so many clinics conducted by
so many different clinicians over so many years,
Clinton is adamant that he did not invent the
training he uses; he just puts his own spin on it
and markets it better than anyone else. His timing in setting up his business was impeccable
and he tapped into a section of the market that
is largely ignored by other clinicians. The advent
of Clinton’s clinics coincided with America’s
baby boomers having the time and the cash
to spend on themselves after their kids have
left home. Most of his clients are women aged
between 45 and 55, many of whom have never
owned a horse and are woefully unprepared
to handle the challenges presented by 500 kg
of potentially unruly horseflesh. Recreational
riding is more popular and more widespread
in the USA than here in Australia and Clinton
concentrates on helping ordinary horse owners
solve their own ordinary horse problems in a
commonsense manner, so that they and their
horses gain more enjoyment from training and
riding. He does not train show riders and he
only demonstrates with problem horses. He is
a down-to-earth, straightforward teacher who
has amassed an impressive following; his clinics
attract around two thousand fence-sitters and at
US$25 to $45 for each fence-sitter – work it out.
Clinton is ruthlessly honest with clinic attendees;
if something is not going to work he says so, if
a horse is dangerous or not suited to what the
owner wants it to do he says so and they love
him for it. He has endless patience, is open and
receptive to new ideas and continues to admire
and study the systems of many other trainers.
Clinton’s first Aussie
clinic in many years,
January 2007
‘Backyard’ party by the lake at
Downunder Horsemanship, Ohio
The entrance to Downunder Horsemanship in Ohio
He believes everyone does one thing extremely
well so if he sees someone doing something
better he will change. He also actively encourages his students to visit other clinicians and to
learn from everyone the way he does. He uses
no gimmicks at his clinics and there is no requirement for attendees to buy special ropes or
halters, although he sells a lot of them anyway
along with his professionally produced books
and DVDs.
Made for TV
In April 2001, Clinton became the first clinician to launch a weekly made-for-TV training program broadcast on a satellite station.
‘Downunder Horsemanship’ is RFD-TV’s
most-watched equine show, voted second-most
popular show on the entire network and it is
watched by four million viewers. Clinton cleverly
plays on his Aussie-ness and the Yanks love it.
He has retained his Aussie accent, calls everyone ‘mate’, the Downunder Horsemanship logo
contains a kangaroo wearing an Akubra and his
theme tune is Men at Work’s Land Down Under,
the song that Alan Bond’s crew blasted from
their stereos every day when they successfully contested the America’s Cup in the States.
Clinton’s TV series is slick, professional and
entertaining and if it was available on Australian
television I too would watch it. The hour-long
weekly broadcast is supported by ‘The Best of
Downunder Horsemanship’, a weekly half-hour
show comprised of the most requested past episodes plus new question and answer footage.
This show was offered in response to viewers’
requests for more of Clinton, a request he is
only too pleased to fulfil. Clinton has no trouble
attracting personal sponsors who are delighted
with the exposure they receive from his two TV
shows and from sharing his star billing at horse
expos and tour appearances; his profile is so
high it influences the purchasing decisions of
millions of horse owners.
The Road to the
Horse
Clinton is the only trainer who has won the Road
to the Horse colt starting championships twice,
first in 2003 and again in 2005. Road to the
Horse is a uniquely American event where three
big name trainers are invited to break virtually
unhandled young horses in three one-hour sessions over two days, in front of an audience of
five thousand. At the end of the three hours each
trainer works his 2YO both ways at a walk, trot
and canter, negotiates a small obstacle course
and completes an optional freestyle demo. Three
round yards are set up in an indoor arena and it
is fascinating to watch the different styles of each
trainer. Particularly interesting is the contrast between the traditional American way of roping the
2YO, getting the saddle on and riding as soon as
possible and Clinton’s modified Jeffery Method of
patient groundwork, sensitising and desensitising
and teaching lateral flexion before ever stepping
up into the saddle. Who else but Clinton threw a
bright pink Pilates exercise ball and plastic trays
into the round yard along with a tarp, a bale of
straw and four logs? Who else but Clinton had
his young horse desensitised enough to give
a freestyle ridden demonstration while waving
a screaming chainsaw and then leaf blower,
cracking an Aussie stock whip then standing on
his horse’s back and shooting a gun? He won. In
the promotional Road to the Horse DVD, the only
trainers that Clinton refers to are his Aussie mentors, Gordon McKinlay and Ian Francis. None
of the big name American trainers he has ever
worked with get a mention.
Clinton competing to win
the Road to the Horse.
Standing on the filly he
broke in 3 hours, shooting
a pistol
Reining Futurity
winner
Unlike other US clinicians, Clinton also shows
his horses and he competes against the big
guns of the reining world. He believes he needs
to keep up with what is current in the show
world so he can share it with his students. Ten
years ago he placed third in the Australian
NRHA Futurity and last year he won the Ohio
Reining Futurity and competed at the AmQHA
Congress. American NRHA Futurity Champion,
Bob Avila, said trainers respect Clinton because
he competes against them and is not afraid of
people looking down on him if he does not win.
When he is at home Clinton rides every day, no
matter what, even though it is a juggling act to
Clinton competing at the
2006 AmQHA Congress on
Nic N Smart
run clinics and to show but that is what he wants
to do.
In conversation with Clinton I hear the voice of
his mentor and friend, Ian Francis, in his turn
of phrase and his unrelenting honesty about
himself. Clinton credits Ian with much of his
knowledge and success. He said, ‘Ian is a
phenomenal hand and I think he is the best and
most under-rated horseman in the world. When
I first went to the States I moved away from Ian
and rode with people like Bob Avila, Todd Crawford and Bob Loomis. Five years ago I asked
Ian to help me with a clinic and when I watched
him I remembered just how good he is. Now I fly
him to the States every year to do clinics for me.
There is a perception in Australia that the American trainers are better but in reality they are not
at all. They may win the big futurities but they
can only do it on great horses. Ian can take an
average horse and make it look great – he could
make a hollow log look like a broke hollow log.
No one gets horses softer and more broke and
he has the most phenomenal feel for a horse.
I teach a lot of the stuff that Ian taught me.’
Clinton has written the foreword for the book,
‘Living the Legend – Ian Francis’ which is due
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The winner of the 2006
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Auction Friday 25th may at 2pm.
Clinton and Mindy
to be launched at the end of this month, and he
has ordered thousands of copies of the book to
sell in the USA where Ian also has a following.
He said, ‘I value Ian. He has a unique ability to
see things from a horse’s perspective and he is
the best at getting a young horse to do things
without force. Personally, I think he’s the best in
the world.’ Clinton now wants to turn his hand
to cutting and he plans to return to Australia for
two months every year to train with Ian.
In turn, Ian says, ‘There are several things I
admire about Clinton. The first is that he had a
dream bigger than Ben Hur and he pursued it
and did not allow anyone or anything to deter
him. Secondly, he is genuinely trying to bridge
the gap between the idealism of Natural Horse-
manship and the harsh realities of competitive
horsemanship and, thirdly, he retains a respect
for, and appreciation of, those of us who took
the time and interest in him when he needed
it.’ He added, ‘Someone asked him why he
still works so hard and he said it’s because he
doesn’t want to get to 60 and still have to work
as hard as Gordon and I still do. Whilst the
implied criticism stings I have to recognise that
he does see a bigger picture.’ We also have
to recognise that the American horse market
is huge; there are many millions more horses
and riders in America than there ever will be in
Australia and Australian trainers will never be
able to make the kind of money that is possible
over there. Gordon McKinlay explains, ‘There’s
a living to be had here and that’s all,’ so when
Clinton is asked if he will move his business
back to Australia, his response is, ‘Why would
I?’ Why, indeed.
Pillamindi Doll
Q-30678
Mindy and Clinton have an enviable relationship and the word is that she would walk on
water for him. She is a 13YO chestnut roan
mare who was bred by Cathy Marsh of Quirran-Lea Stud near Gympie in Queensland. Her
sire, Pillamindi Roc, is a reining futurity winner
who was in training with Ian when Clinton
worked there, and her dam is Spinifex Doll
– and there are no prizes for guessing who she
Flashback Images
presents the past in photographs
Now available: Early Quarter Horse Industry photos by Pete-Anne Tenney 1967-1983
For information contact: Susan Carlson, 1374 Harvey Siding Rd, Harvey Siding, Qld 4570. phone: 07 5483 1885 or 0437 494 668
Clinton is 31 and newly single. He currently lives
on 100 acres in Ohio but will move to Texas in
the near future. He says that, although he has
been in the USA for nine years, he is only just
getting started and he wants to keep learning, to
keep growing and improving and to keep helping people. He said, ‘Every successful person,
including me, got a helping hand somewhere
and I want to be able to help as many people as
possible, what I want to offer is what Ian Francis
and Gordon McKinlay showed me.’ Clinton has
boundless energy and drive and is a marketing
maestro, believing that the best marketing man,
not necessarily the best horseman, is the most
successful. From being a one-man band he now
has a loyal and supportive staff of thirty, including
a television production team, and after selling
more than three hundred thousand copies of
his books, DVDs and videos, all those American
trainers who cursed him for asking so many
questions now beat a path to his door so he can
produce training videos for them. Commenting on
Clinton’s success, Gordon McKinlay said, ‘I am
very, very proud of him. He’s just one in a million.’
A one-in-a-million boy from Oz with ten
million reasons to smile.
Photographer / Writer
Phone: (07) 5573 3974 or Email: ma-leighton@austarnet.com.au
is by. In 1999 Clinton flew Mindy to the States
where there are some who believe she is a bigger star than he is. She features in his Walkabout Tour shows where he proudly promotes
her as his Aussie Quarter Horse and she is so
popular that she has her own doll – you could
only get away with that in America – sales of
which have gone through the roof since it was
introduced eight months ago. Before she left
Australia Mindy produced one filly by Gordon
McKinlay’s stallion, Clover Pinaroo Q-951. That
filly, Down Under Aussie Gal Q-41995, is now
owned by Lexie and Peter Bastable, and Mindy
was again in foal to Clover Pinaroo when she
flew to the States. That foal was another filly,
Jillaroo Doll Q-48813 and in the US Mindy is also
the proud mother of a 2YO filly, High on Cat Nip,
by Highbrow Cat whose birth was deserving of
a special episode in Clinton’s TV series entitled,
‘Mindy has a foal’ (this episode is also available
on DVD). Mindy also has two embryo transfer
foals due this year by Smart Chic O’Lena (service fee US$22,000).
MaryAnne Leighton
Mindy and her filly by
Highbrow Cat
Mindy’s doll