A HERO NAMED MFA MAVERICK

by Michael Damianos

New York Times writer Stephanie Rosenbloom wrote, “It is through serendipitous encounters with objects and strangers that the world speaks to us but we have to be listening. By learning to be alert for clues, one is suddenly caught up in an exciting inner adventure.” These words become profound as I recall a chance meeting with the owner of MFA Maverick at a horse show in Paso Robles, California.

Trainer Michael Damianos, and the great horse, MFA Maverick+//, who carried Michael to more wins than any other horse in his career.

When Kathy Castellanos ran into me and my wife at a weekend horse show we chatted about her horse. The handsome gelding was by Desperado V and out of a Benraz daughter. He was bay with 4 white socks. His face had a stunning Arabian profile and he had big hair. One could argue he was a reincarnated equine version of Adonis. He had been capably trained by one of the all-time greats, Wendy Potts, and already had an impressive show record with wins in hunter pleasure, western pleasure, ladies sidesaddle and trail classes. In 1998 he had been U.S. National Reserve Champion in Trail on a catch ride by Jill Mitchell, another great horsewoman.

"One could argue that he was a reincarnated equine version of Adonis.”

Kathy explained that the horse had most recently been with her as he had some misfortune health-wise, but was better and ready to get back to showing. I knew Maverick was right for me if we could keep him healthy. I got him in August of 2000. The veterinarian that oversaw his recovery was the late Dr. Van Snow, a revered sports medicine specialist. I knew Dr. Snow prior; he was very forthright in prepping me on how to take care of Maverick. We took him to a small show in Santa Barbara. It turned out to be a successful western pleasure show that weekend, but trail did not go as well as I expected. The judge, Mike Baker, a well-respected western horseman, found me at the end of the show and said, “Dami, I really like that stockin’-legged horse. If your owner is patient, you will figure him out and do big things.” I went home and rethought and readjusted. Henry Ford said, “Failure is the opportunity to begin more intelligently” and that is what I did.

Kathy was one of the most devoted owners I ever worked with and very supportive. I got on the phone with Dr. Snow, who offered advice about keeping happy as well as healthy. He was a different horse than before. I spent less time trying to emulate how others before me rode the horse and started figuring out how I needed to ride him for the current times. I looked for my own way with this horse. That proved to be a winning strategy and in 2002 we were Reserve Champion at Region Two at the Pacific Slope, and U.S. National Top Ten in Open Trail. Kathy was U.S. National Champion in Amateur Trail. The four of us, horse-trainer-owner-veterinarian had gelled into a great team.

"That old horse just gave a clinic.”

From that point I won more trail classes on MFA Maverick than any other horse that I would ever ride. It was a time when you had to win something in each region to go to each regional show and you had to do well at regionals to qualify for Nationals. That meant attending a lot of shows and he just kept getting better. A perfect example was in 2004. We won the Region 3 Open Trail Horse Championship. On exiting the arena after the last obstacle, I walked by judge Anne “Bubbles” Hiller, a great trail trainer in her own right, who looked up at me, rubbing her forearms and said, “Damn, you just gave me chills.”

MFA Maverick expanded his talents to include being a wise lead line horse. This lead liner was my daughter, Zoe, now 23 and married. My other daughter, Shelbee, now 29, also showed Maverick over the years.

In 2005, at the peak of Maverick’s heyday, he was 15. Kathy decided she and Maverick had come full circle. She magnanimously and generously offered him to Claire Bowman who had long admired the horse. Claire owned the farm where I trained at and Kathy knew she would always do right by him. Maverick kept it up for another 10 years. In 2015, at age 25, he won the Pacific Slope Trail Championship for the fifth time. I schooled him once at home before we left for the show and the day before the show. Judge Patty Romeo said to me after all the trail classes were done, “That old horse just gave a clinic.”

"The last time I showed MFA Maverick he was 25 years old, and marked a big score to finish in third place in the prestigious Trail Maturity at Santa Barbara."

In September of that year, I showed Maverick for the last time in Santa Barbara at the AHASC Fall Show. It was always a deep trail show that capped off with a 6 years and over Trail Maturity that was once an extremely prestigious trail class. Maverick went early and marked a 75, an impressive score. That ride was a testament to his indomitable spirit and that even in his advanced years he still oozed with charisma. It was a fitting curtain close to a fabled career and it ended where we started, Santa Barbara. Shortly after that Maverick boarded a trailer to Fort Collins, Colorado where he retired at his owner’s new ranch. It would be the last time I would see him.

"From that point I won more trail classes on MFA Maverick than any other horse that I would ever ride."

In July of 2019 I was riding a horse in the warm-up pen at the Region 3 Championship in Reno. My groom handed me my cell and told me I needed to take the call. It was Claire Bowman, and she was despondent. She told me Maverick was in the hospital at Colorado State and in peril. She said, “The vets are telling me there is nothing they can do for him. Please talk to this vet and tell her they have to save him.” Claire put the doctor on the phone who explained to me he had an extremely large tumor and he was in extreme distress. Even if they attempted surgery, the odds of survival on a 29-year-old horse were virtually impossible. I took a deep breath and asked her to give the phone back to Claire. I told Claire, “His journey is over. The only reason he is still here is that he doesn’t want to leave you. He is a hero, and you owe it to him to say thank you by ending his pain. Please tell him ‘good-bye.’” With that Maverick’s remarkable life came to a close. I was unaware, that while I was on the phone, some of my clients gathered near me because of the groom’s urgency and some of my fellow exhibitors had stopped around me because of my clients’ reactions. I looked up and found a lot of silent people with teary eyes in that warm-up pen. I returned to riding my horses and nothing was said. Nonetheless, it was a poignant moment I will never forget.

Claire Bowman and Maverick hanging out at home.

Maverick won two National Championships, six National Reserve Championships, Scottsdale Championships, multiple USEF Horse of the Year awards, 17 Regional Championships, 10 Regional Reserve Championships, countless National, Top Tens, Regional Top Fives and regular class A show wins. He won classes at 7:00 a.m. and 1:00 a.m., in 90-degree heat and 28-degree cold, close to home and far away, in English tack and western tack, with good riders and bad riders. He was one game horse. A lot of different people won on him. He carried many leadliners and walk/joggers into their first shows and was a trusted mount on many trail rides. I rode him in several demonstrations, and I carried the U.S. flag on him in a few opening ceremonies. Varian Arabians mentioned him in multiple articles as one of the most successful get of Desperado V. He was an incredible ambassador for the Arabian breed.

"I looked for my own way with this horse. That proved to be a winning strategy.” 

Maverick taught me the value of proper care, he showed me how to trust a good horse, and he exemplified what heroes horses are.

2002 U.S. National Champion Trail AOTR with Kathy Castellanos.

The Moors conquered Spain from the backs of horses, the Bedouins defeated the Crusaders from the backs of horses, the West was won on horseback, Paul Revere alerted the Colonial Militia from horseback, Hernan Cortes stunned the Aztec Empire with horses, horses survived two world wars, and it is written that from atop a horse St. Michael drove Satan from Heaven. That is the kind of heroic horse he was. Mark Twain wrote, “It’s not the size of the dog in the fight, it’s the size of the fight in the dog.” That dog could have been an Arabian horse named MFA Maverick.