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U.S. Nationals
Meet the Volunteers
October 29, 2009
Cheryl Norman
Great People Make a Great Show
Cheryl Norman of Seguin, Texas got her start with Arabians several years ago when she had a western horse. A friend asked her if she wanted to volunteer at U.S. Nationals eight years ago and turned her interest toward being involved with shows in a different capacity. After working the gate for a few years, Cheryl now spends her time as a hostess in the Patron's Lounge.
At home she manages a convenient store and feed store and spends her extra time at shows, working as the ring master, working gates and making new show friends. Norman says her favorite part of working the Patron's Lounge over the years has been all the great people she's met. "People here are great-fun and nice. I have a great job, I get to sit down and meet nice people."
Meeting all those nice people from all over the country can make for some interesting coincidences. On vacation in southern Colorado several years ago, Norman and her brother-in-law were driving the beautiful country, mountain roads looking for property and they came upon a heard of buffalo. Norman suddenly remembered that Wolf Springs Ranch raised buffalo and it occurred to her she might not be too far from where the friendly trainer, Chris Culbreth, trained horses.
Sure enough, Norman came around a bend and saw the Wolf Springs Ranch sign near Westcliffe, Colo. and convinced her brother-in-law to turn down the road for a visit. Culbreth greeted the two and said they were the first visitors who had actually been able to use the excuse of "just being in the neighborhood," since the ranch is miles and miles away from any actual neighborhood. "You meet great people at U.S. National," reiterates Norman.
Norman is hoping to learn how to scribe next and eventually wants to get her judge's card. "You learn a lot as a scribe," says Norman. "And next I hope to start going to some judge's seminars." Sounds like Arabian enthusiasts will be seeing Cheryl Norman for several years to come.
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