News : Buddy, Emily and Cassie: Vinton teen continues the story of a beloved horse

Cassie Kenney & Buddy - and the memory of his previous rider - inspired many at the State Fair.

Emily Bohnsack of rural Wilton, the first rider of Buddy, died in a 2010 car accident.

This display accompanied Buddy and Cassie to the State Fair.

Many State Fair attendees who saw Cassie Kenney this week, riding or taking care of her horse Buddy, walked toward the pair with a glow of recognition and a smile on their faces.

But it wasn’t the Vinton girl they recognized and remembered, but the horse – and the tragedy that took away Buddy’s first rider.

Cassie and Buddy – a quarter horse whose registered name is Terms Look Radical – enjoyed a very successful summer. After winning several honors at the Benton County Fair in July, Cassie and Buddy went to Des Moines, where this week they won a variety of ribbons at the Iowa State Fair, including the Grand Champion buckle in the Senior Division Walk/Trot event.

For both rider and horse, the success and friendship they discovered together was the result of a “long story” involving a tragic accident that claimed the life of Buddy's first rider, and another horse that would simply not cooperate at the 2014 Iowa State Fair.

Cassie and her mom, Diane, shared some of the story:

“Last year, Cassie and her horse, Dash, tried showing at the State Fair. Cassie couldn't even get Dash into the show ring – he was unsafe to ride and just kept rearing up at every little thing,” Diane recalls. “It was so frustrating, because Cassie had worked with him for two years and just wasn't making progress.”

Two weeks after the 2014 State Fair, the Kenneys sold Dash to Menke Quarter Horses in Durrant. They told owner Rob Menke about their trouble with Dash. Their story reminded Menke of another teenage girl who loved to ride, and the horse she left behind.

Emily’s story

Menke’s friends, Rob and Suzy Bohnsack of rural Wilton, have been raising and riding horses for years, and competing in events throughout the region. The Bohnsack’s daughter, Emily, competed in events regularly at the Iowa State Fair. Her State Fair triumphs include the 2008 Western championship and Showmanship honors.

Tragedy interrupted this story five years ago; Emily died in a traffic accident at the intersection of a gravel road and a county highway in December of 2010, at age 16. Horse lovers throughout Iowa mourned Emily’s death; many memorials have been set up in her honor.

Several months after that accident, the Kenneys attended the wedding of Jenna Swanson (Parmeter). There they met the Bohnsacks, and learned about the recent loss of their daughter.

“I knew that I would meet up with them again someday,” recalls Diane.

Last fall, after buying Dash from the Kenneys, who told him about their difficulties with that horse, Menke thought of Buddy, and Emily. He wondered if maybe it was time for a new rider for Terms Look Radical.

“Menke contacted friends who got him in touch with the Bohnsacks. He told them that he had possibly found a rider who might be the right fit for Buddy,” Diane says.

Cassie was the right fit.

"We kind of thought he was part Draft he was so big," recalls Diana. "He actually makes the ground shake when he runs." Yet, Cassie rode him and right away everyone could tell it would be a great match.

Yet, says Diane of the previous owners: "I think it was very hard for Rob and Suzy see Buddy go and for us it was hard to take him away from them, knowing how important he was to their family, and to Emily."

Dianne also is very thankful for the mutual friends, Jenna Parmeter and Shelly Swanson, who put the two families in touch and have also been with the Kenney families through all of their "horse-y experiences."

And so, now, says Diane: “Cassie has Buddy. He is a wonderful, quiet, fun horse to show and he loves young girls and he likes going in that show ring – and the more Starbursts you give him, the better he does.”

Being Buddy’s rider has made Cassie part of a new family.

“I can't believe all the people that know Buddy,” Cassie says. “They come up and hug him and say his name. I don't know who they all are but I'm starting to make friends with a few of them.”
“Emily's family and Buddy have lots – and I mean lots – of friends and supporters in the horse-showing world,” says Diane. “Cassie and Buddy had so many people coming up to them at the State Fair, giving Buddy hugs and telling him they were glad to see him back – many of them with tears in their eyes. We had such a great support group there, even though we didn’t know most of them. It felt amazing. I think Cassie found her horse and Buddy found his girl. ‘Team Buddy’ is what I call this whole giant connection.”

Diane also believes Team Buddy is receiving some supernatural help.

“Emily, I know, is helping get us all together and it's working,” she says.

Emily’s family also believes Emily is supernaturally helping; a colt born to the dam of Buddy was born with white facial markings, including an “E” at the top of his forehead. (See that story HERE)

2015 Successes

At the State Fair, Buddy and Cassey won first place in the 10th grade walk-trot and advance to become champions in the senior division, competing against 70 other riders in grades 9-12. They also earned first place in the 10th grade western pleasure event and finished fifth overall in the Senior Division Championship.

“We are so proud and blessed,” says Diane. “Their showing earned them a ribbon of every possible color. We ended the day well.”

“Buddy is a lot different to ride then my first pony, Trigger, but I was starting to learn pleasure riding with Dash,” says Cassie. “Now I can ride and show like I want to with Buddy, and he likes it too. I feel very blessed to know these great people.”

Cassie will continue her horse-riding competitions with Buddy and other horses this summer.

“I will continue showing at Blackhawk creek and Kirkwood when possible,” she says. “I will be going to Des Moines next weekend (Buddy has to stay home) for Prairie Meadows Youth Days.I was one of six selected to go. We learn about the horse racing industry and for Saturday’s race, we get to put the horse we've been working with in the starting gate. Scholarships are awarded and one of us will be chosen to participate at the Texas horse racing days.”