Karen Peck: All Around Cowgirl at 55 and 56

Karen Peck All Around Cowgirl at 55 and 56

Tue, Nov 30, 2021 12:56PM • 1:04:22

SPEAKERS

Brandy Von Holten Karen Peck

 Brandy Von Holten  00:08

welcome back to Big Boss Mare with brandy von Holten. Today's guest is one heck of a cowgirl named Karen Peck. Not only is she an established artist making large pieces from welding metal, but she has now jumped into a new medium using wool for needle felting. Karen is a true cowgirl with having been a header and a healer in team roping. I first met Karen and her family when they decided to try obstacle competitions at the age of 55. And at 56 Karen one back to back titles as the all-around cow girl, one of the most joyous times in her life was the birth of her first granddaughter Charlie. However, Karen then went through the roughest of rough times within a short span of time. With the death of her mother, a divorce and her daughter in law being diagnosed and going through aggressive treatment from Hodgkin's lymphoma. Karen and her family are moving forward and credit their resiliency made possible only through their strong foundation in Christ. Welcome back to big boss mare with brandy von Holten. Today's guest is one of my very best friends. Her name is Karen Peck. Okay, so Karen and I, we met. Oh, since we've opened von Holten ranch, and we opened von Holten ranch in 2014. And I do believe she was here and what do you think here in 2015 2016?

Karen Peck  01:32

My first was 2015. At one of the trail obstacle courses.

Brandy Von Holten  01:40

Yeah, it was probably maybe AXA or ETS. So the American competitive trail Horse Association that associations no longer around or it was ETS for equine trail sports. It was one of those two. And, Karen, you were a roper? Right? Correct. Yeah, you did what heading and healing? Or did you just do one

Karen Peck  02:05

primarily heading, but I'd like to heal as well.

Brandy Von Holten  02:08

Okay, so for all of my people out there that are not horse people. This right here, there's two people that are going to rope and there's like a calf that comes out it's a steer and their horn. And then you have one that has to rope the head of it. And then the other one that has to rope the back legs. Okay, so this is like a return to the cowboy. Because whenever these cattle and they're not in there on these huge prairie lands, and you don't have pins to put them in, you have to be able to rope them to Doctor them. Treat them, you know, you get to check on stuff. So it's a lot easier to have a two person team than a one person team. Is that correct?

Karen Peck  02:55

That's correct. Early on, it was called Team time, you would top rope the steer head and heel, and then tie his feet together, one man would get off of his horse and run down and tie the feet together so that you could Dr brand would you know preg test or you know, help for the calf.

Brandy Von Holten  03:17

Okay, so this right here does not sound like a sport that's going to have a lot of females in it. It sounds like a sport that's going to be dominated by men typically, is that correct?

Karen Peck  03:31

It's correct. But like other sports, when women became interested in it, the sport evolved to add divisions for women, whether it would be a mixed team, which one had to be male, one had to be female, or junior senior mix, which means young person, woman man as mixed so they, the sport evolved to include women.

Brandy Von Holten  03:54

Okay? So whenever they give you a there's a classification. And it goes, what is the number that it starts at and the number it goes to?

Karen Peck  04:06

Well, there's different associations. It's a lot like the equine trail stuff. So you're ranked by your abilities winning age, things like that handicap basically like golf. So different. Basically, it's one to 1010 being the best. One being the worst. Most women are between vixens three I would say,

Brandy Von Holten  04:33

okay, a six and a three. Now then do most people primarily have like a dominant one where they're either mostly a header or mostly a healer or do you see people being able to flip back and forth?

Karen Peck  04:47

I would say most people are either head or heel. Okay. Now man, especially if you know if you if you're on a working ranch, you should be able to do both, because you would vote in the branding pan, and then you do have to be able to catch rope which had appeal out in the pastor.

Brandy Von Holten  05:11

Okay. So you have a ranking, or I don't know if they say ranking or classification in both heading and healing. Are you a, you're a four or a five? What are you?

Karen Peck  05:25

Uh, well, that it's changed. I'm no longer numbered because I don't compete in the team roping realm anymore. Come in competition, I primarily just do the trail stuff. So I was a in the old system. It was a four and a three, four, Heather. Three healer. Okay, which means I had better than I feel.

Brandy Von Holten  05:48

Okay. All right. So, this right here, so here's my friend Karen. Now Karen is also an artist. Okay, so, Karen, you are you use all sorts of mediums. Correct? That's what I would say is mediums because you use metal and you use I know you do. Paper also that you paint on and canvases. Do you have another medium that you use besides welding and canvases?

Karen Peck  06:18

Right now I'm involved in learning and perfecting a craft called felting, which is using wool and then an barbed needles to sculpt with.

Brandy Von Holten  06:32

Okay, that is crazy sounding to me. Because one of the trips that Karen and I went on was that we needed to deliver a it was a mama Longhorn, I do believe and then her calf, but it was something that she had welded together. But then once we delivered this, people were able to add rocks inside of it to be able to give it coloring, is that correct?

Karen Peck  07:02

That's correct. The premise behind it was found objects. So it was using metal but then rocks native to the area to create the color pattern in the mama cow and calf. Okay,

Brandy Von Holten  07:19

this thing was huge. Okay, we had to take a horse trailer and put this because like the way that she had welded it, the mother cow, the mama cow was had her legs crossed and was seated. And it wasn't something that was supposed to look abstract. No, it looked real. It looked like yeah,

Karen Peck  07:40

it was laid out for the calf. And that mama cow and calf were laying together. And so the both both of the sculptures were in a lien position.

Brandy Von Holten  07:52

Right. So this right here, I know, whenever somebody pulls up to the people's house that have that, it's going to be most definitely like a huge statement piece. I mean, it's just, I mean, it just makes the place, the place that we took it to was a beautiful home and they had a nice Ranch, you know, working where they were able to do horse events with cattle, but then to have that artwork and it's not small. I mean, you made it life size. So that right there is going to most definitely like up the beauty of these of these people's place that you brought it to. So

Karen Peck  08:29

yeah, they did a really, really great job. Of course, they installed they were building this home, when we delivered it, and they so they installed it after that home was built, and they kind of work around the home for a while to see where the natural setting would be. So the Kathlyn tower laying under a mesquite tree, which is native to the area where they live. So it's really pretty, how they did a really great job planting grasses around it. So it's like one of those things of my artwork is supposed to make you go, oh, when you see it, it's not supposed to be, you know, out. They're supposed to be hidden when you look at it and go, is that real? And then you go over and look at it.

Brandy Von Holten  09:13

So, whenever you come to von Holten Ranch, we have something that's we have a statue, but ours is not as cool as what Karen makes, okay. Ours used to belong to one of my friends. And then she ended up being she got divorced. And then the husband actually sold us the horse statue. And she said that she had gotten it from a taxidermy place. But it's fiberglass, but then she had it painted to look bronze. So whenever people come to von Holten Ranch, they think that we have spent some money and we're like, Nope, you can lift that thing with one hand, but we have that bolted down and put a concrete pier underneath it. But it looks so substantial. When you're coming here and we're like, Oh no, that's just Just a really good paint job looking bronze stuff. Yeah,

Karen Peck  10:05

it really does. It was interesting because of the trip that you and I took to deliver the cow calf, we were driving through no man's land in Texas or New Mexico. And there was this giant cowboy kinda like that Texas State cowboy, metal piece by a gas station that was baked, abandoned and stuff. And it was really, really fun. And you were like, I need that. And that's, that's great. That's so true. Different facilities need different statements,

Brandy Von Holten  10:36

right? You know, my we have on on our mountain trail course, which is like an obstacle course that we have that's made to help increase safety amongst trail riders because they can introduce their horse to natural obstacles. On that course, my father ended up with a 1946 fire truck. Okay, so it's kind of an odd thing to do. Like, what do you do with a 1946 fire truck that no longer runs? Well, we put it out there in that mountain trail course. And our judges can sit in the back. So because we have it elevated, so they're able to see all the all of the competitors and judge from there. But then that 1946 Fire truck, it's red, but then it's rusted. But then it's, you know, it's, it reminds you of times gone by, you know that vehicles don't look like that anymore. There are so many wedding parties that we have here that take a picture with that firetruck. And it is literally like the most beautiful wedding photo. And then but we use it for a stand for our judges. So, you know, artwork looks like it you know, most people think artwork has to be just hung on a wall. But artwork can be you know, anything. You can be outside where the tree.

Karen Peck  11:55

Yeah, that's where found objects come into a lot of art anymore. You know, because you can be inspired just like that, that firetruck that is so cool. Because I mean, even if you come across an abandoned vehicle in a wash, as you're writing, it could really take a horse by surprise. So even within the atmosphere, it's good for horses, to see something unexpected. But in art, that that really cool thing that fire truck is truly a piece of found objects art, because it adds a dynamic to your mountain trail course that no one else has is it's just out there and setting in even with the grasslands behind it making those great wedding photos. It is awesome. It is art.

Brandy Von Holten  12:46

Right. I love it. So let's talk about so with you. Now, I have you on here to talk about some cool stuff that you've done. But there's so many cool things about Karen Peck, I wanted to make sure and talk about her. Her artistry. Okay, so you actually have an upcoming art show? Is that correct?

Karen Peck  13:10

I did, I was recently accepted into an art show. That's here in Arizona. And this is this is my first felted piece to put in an art show. So I'm pretty excited felting as little known as it's been around since the early 1800s or prior to that. So it's a European crafting that's just making its way into the United States. And I learned from a woman in Pennsylvania who I found on the internet when I was I was researching because there was a lot of European artists doing it, but not so many in America. So I was excited that I was accepted because it's something most people haven't seen or haven't recognized. So I'm pretty excited about that.

Brandy Von Holten  14:03

Well, I know in the horse world, it's always good to be innovative, and to be the first person that brings something and like with us, I am always trying to evolve to be even better. So the fact that you're like, Okay, here's something that's not seen in the United States a lot. And you're like, I'm going to learn how to do this. See that right there is going to make you stand out because it's refreshing. It's an innovative for people to see, so I could see you with that.

Karen Peck  14:35

It's so much and that's like brand new that you and I are like spirits in the way we're always thinking. That's one thing that we do is we call long distance you know, to brainstorm I have this great idea. What do you think and we knock things off each other just but how many trail facilities everybody loves to trail ride, right? Right. But then it's if you've been trail bragging all your life on the trail and you go to a facility like yours to go ride the trails, and that's great, and your place is beautiful, and you have water crossings and mountains, and you have all these different obstacles that are natural to the trail. But then people who have not experienced obstacles have the opportunity to go and say, I just wonder, Is that something that my horse is proficient at? Can I try that? So you give them people opportunities to broaden their horizons on their horse and their rider ability, right, they're at a facility, and not many facilities offer that to the extent that your stuff,

Brandy Von Holten  15:37

right, you know, with, you know, we have a, it's a family-owned farm. And it's, it's 300 acres. And with that, we have about 25 miles of trail. But and we realize that some of the other facilities have a lot more, but we're not trying to target the clients that are going to want to ride 60 miles in a day. I mean, they would just have to do ours over and over. But then what we have is a covered arena, plus the mountain trail course. So you can come to are a lot of times when there's a covered arena, then they don't have trails, and a lot of trial facilities do not have an arena, well, then we're also adding, you know, we've got the mountain trail course, which that thing has brought people from all over United States, and this not even halfway done. And then this year, we are adding our permanent mounted archery course. So like we're trying to be like, Yeah, we might not have something, but then we've got something for everyone is what we're trying to do at our facility. You know, it's just always about trying to be the best at what you are, like, I had a marketing lady be like, well, who's your biggest competitor? And I'm all like, you know, there's not, I don't know anybody in our state that has our combination. So I'm like, I'm not trying to compete with other people. I'm trying to be the best that I can be. So that's really helped us to be able to stand out.

Karen Peck  17:05

Well, I think that's true. And I think that your mindset has been, well, yeah, we could put a little rope gate out there, and a couple noodles and call it that. But you were like, what if? What if you don't let your dreams be held to small, you are able to say, well, what if we made an actual mountain trail course with these permanent fixtures instead of you know, we've always had things around, we could work on there. But wow, to explode that to something to the extent that you have even though it's only half done, I don't want people to think that it's halfhearted. What you've done is amazing.

Brandy Von Holten  17:48

Know what we are trying to do like what we consider half done whenever I tell people that this is half finished, they're like, are you serious? And I'm like, Oh, yeah. Because the financial amount that we've already put into that. And the work is beyond what most obstacle courses are. Most obstacle courses are not permanent. Most of them. Whenever we've had them in the past, it kind of look like a tornado went through a yard sale. And ours does not look like that. Now now we have like bridges that are large enough for a horse to walk over and walk under by another horse we have boulders that we brought in from out of out of state, you know, like we really tried to bring our boom in this is what the obstacles is what brought you to us. But before we had that permanent course we were doing more obstacles that were not permanent. And a lot of them were kind of playful. Like for example, I used to have a tutu that went on my pony named cupcake. And I would have them have to have their horse stand still, whenever cupcake would walk by Well, first of all, a lot of horses are scared to death of ponies. And then you put a very large pink tutu on a pony. And then you ask that horse to stand still. Especially whenever you're dealing with your horses that are there good old roping horses that are used to go and fast. And then you're like, I need you to stand still and let this goofy little pony go by with a two to one. So that is where our relationship started was you and a lot of your roping friends decided to do something different with your horses and bring them out here for those obstacle competitions. And then and then here we are today doing a podcast and you live in a different state and I probably talk to you more than I talk to other people.

Karen Peck  19:45

that's true, but that's, that's the horse community. You know, friendships in the horse community are our long-term friendships. I find that because you can pick up right where you're at because you have like interest in You know, desires and goals. And I think that that a horse community is really a good community for that. Okay, the other thing, so it's interesting because we, our whole thoughts with the obstacles was in, like, in our world that would be you want to clean your horses mind up and keep them fresh, keep them think, you know, they'll get really all about the run and all about the competition just as the person will. But you don't you want to hold relationship with your horse. So our thoughts were while bringing on young horses and cleaning up the minds in old horses, you know, let's do this optical thing because we really can measure is our horse listening to us all the time. So that's kind of what started us interest in the obstacle stuff and I came out just as a day writer, I had honestly never camped before because we camp at are open, but never to camp and ride. So that opened up a whole thing of camping and trail riding. I had ridden they ride stuff, but never to camp and do it for days on end. So that opened the whole story in my life.

Brandy Von Holten  21:13

You know, the, one of the most a moment that I remember with your friends, his one of your best friends. Her name is Polly. And her husband's name is Dave. And Dave was on a very young horse and the obstacle Okay, so imagine this people, we have two barrels put together so you could duck down and hide behind it. And then there was a gap. And then two more barrels. Okay, so we had this stuffed horse, like not a real horse, not taxidermy, no like a child's toy. But it was strong enough for a child to sit on. Well, we had screwed that thing to a piece of plywood and put a rope to it. So we had it hiding behind the barrels on one side and a rope with a human squatted down behind the other one. And the obstacle was, there's three different levels of which you can get close to this. And then we would drag the horse across that opening. So Dave was like, I totally got this. And he came to the hardest level, which was the one closest to those barrels. And whenever that we put and we didn't even do it fast, but whenever we pulled that, that stuffed horse going from one barrel to the other cross that gap, that horse was like, Oh, heck no, and like, spun 180 degrees, and I think he was 100 foot away before he could get that horse shut down. Look and he was like, Okay, we got to work on that for sure. But we laughed and Dave laughed. And then you know after the obstacle was over with we came back and did a couple more times till his horse was a okay with it. But we found a hole for that little horse that day for sure.

Karen Peck  22:57

That's, that's right. And you just never know, in any given circumstances that seems funny to do that. But you never know when something runs across the trail or someone or a little kid comes from behind the chute and runs across and you know, is your horse in your hand? You know, so it's valuable to put your horses in those situations to know where they're at.

Brandy Von Holten  23:21

Right? I had already won a buckle one time in an obstacle competition whenever I figured out that my trusty gelding, like the horse that I trust my life with was not okay with a toddler running towards him saying Horsey with an umbrella. Okay, so we found a hole. And luckily my horse was like, and then like ran away, and I was able to shut him down. But I was like, Okay, we need work with umbrellas being lower to the ground, you know, cuz I can open an umbrella on him, but one coming at him by this little bitty child. It scared him to death, you know, so well, and kids are not aware. As soon as kids see horses, they're like, run towards them. And I'm like, Oh, my gosh, you have no idea the danger you could be in. But that's why obstacles are so important to make your horses more solid, so they're safer around everyone. Absolutely. So, Karen, Karen is a little bit older than I am. She's almost about 1819 years older than me. And she competed. We had these things called our cowgirl challenges, okay, we had a team version. And then we also had an individual. So these cow girl challenges you had to do eight different things. And then who was the best overall was the all-around cowgirl. So in these challenges I had I had buckles for the because there was for events that had to do on a horse or a mule. And then for events that had nothing to do with the horse Like tire changing or something, okay, so I gave out buckles for the overall cowgirl, then for the best horse, person and then the best non horse person. And then I added the best cowgirl that was 50 and over. Okay, so Karen came in here at 55 in 2017, and actually won our all-around cowgirl challenge. So, listen to these things that she had to do, okay, you know, I'm in barrel racing, there's three barrels that are put into a triangle pattern. Well, there's one called a four-leaf clover, where there's four barrels out there, and you have to make a four leaf clover pattern. So it's a speed event, then we have obstacles, I actually have a picture of Karen standing up on top of her horse for the last obstacle holding a banner. So she went above and beyond she was on the most trustworthy horse ever. Then roping, which you have a lot of experience in that so you had roping. And then we had a pleasure pattern like those are there's like a set pattern with you have to show different transitions. So those were the horse events. Now the non-horse events, I created these cow girl test, which were meant to be extremely hard, but it's like a written test, then trailer backing. So you would and my husband would judge those right there with how accurate you could get to where you're needing to park. Then we had bridle assembly, which is putting together the the thing that goes on the horse's head is called bridle. So I made him take it completely apart and put it all the way back together. That is a lot harder than what people realize. There's a couple of pieces that are very have different variations. So you have to know how to do all of them. Then the last one was called cooking in one pot. So it had to be one pot of something that turned out great. So Karen came in at 50. Now this was open to all ages, and at 55 years old, she won the all-around cowgirl in this competition. Now that not only did Karen do this at 55, but she also had her daughter compete in her that's in her 20s. Now her daughter Shani. Shani is high functioning autistic. Whenever Shawnee was first born, I think the doctor said that she would not ever function. Is that correct? Karen?

Karen Peck  27:38

Well, that there were concerns course that was early on in autism. And that's a whole other thing. But they, she didn't talk until she say sentences. So she was five years old. So at that point, autism was pretty new. And so they were very cautious about telling us what her level of functioning would be going forward. So it was a pretty scary.

Brandy Von Holten  28:06

Yeah, whatever limitations they put on Shani. Shani has basically said she's basically popped her collar and said, Why are you talking to me? Because Shawnee Yeah, is she's got an associate degree and I think art, is that correct?

Karen Peck  28:23

In design, and she's working on her Bachelor's in elementary ed right now.

Brandy Von Holten  28:28

Right? So she's got an associate work, bachelor,

Karen Peck  28:33

working as a paraprofessional, helping at risk children through their days at school. So it's really neat.

Brandy Von Holten  28:42

And she's actually won a buckle with us before. And Johnny actually goes and does. She's a keynote speaker about being autistic but still functioning well. So she does all sorts of stuff I've had Shani, Shani, I think she beat you in cooking if I'm correct I think she did if she didn't I think your daughter beaching cookie she makes something called What is that thing called that she makes all on one pot? Like hodgepodge her highs gosh is pretty freakin good. So I love that you got to do something with your daughter and compete with her side by side and then I love that she is you know, she's able to hang with anything I mean, sometimes she might get a little bit confused on what we were asking on something but then But then she always picks it up you know she'll always pick it up and be able to get something done for us for sure. Now well the

Karen Peck  29:48

girl obstacles have been huge for her because direction following in two and three part directions for anyone. You know who struggles is a big deal so far for her to focus on multi leveled directions is a big deal and a great, great skill for her to learn in through the horses because she had a tremendous desire to beat me that really helped her grow in that area.

Brandy Von Holten  30:20

Yeah. Well, you end up being the champion, and now won. And I remember talking to you after that competition, and you were like, I'm on top of the world. Here you are 55 You be some ladies in their 20s and their 30s. I mean, you came out there and rocked it. And then I remember talking to you, the day afterwards, you had to do something in the bobcat, and you like, hurt your back, and you were like, I was on top of the world. And then I was like, oh, no, dang it, my back. And

Karen Peck  30:53

back on the farm, and I was trimming brush on the bobcat, and they kind of bounce bad and, you know, can kind of be hard on your back. So it was like, Well, I used to feel young today. I feel my age.

Brandy Von Holten  31:06

So that was 55. So now then, let's take 365 blinkers. Okay. So you went, you know, the following year 2018. Not that far along. So she was 56. She came back now, everybody, everybody knows that Karen Peck. Is, is here to win. Okay. So like, it's easier to become a champion, especially when people don't know you. It's easier to become a champion than to remain a champion. So everybody had her number? And they were like, yeah, look out for Karen. Okay. And here, Karen is just super nice, you know, and then Karen's got complete head of gray hair shade and our hair and she's just like, Hey, y'all, you know, and like, you gotta love you. You know, there's nobody out there that doesn't just love Karen Peck. Right? And then you're like, and I kicked your butt. So she know, I

32:00

know that. My

Brandy Von Holten  32:03

2018 Whenever you came back,

Karen Peck  32:08

when your gray haired and going into that you've got nothing to lose the fruits. So I have I do have an advantage in that when loser draw just because you're older and you're out there doing it. You're winning. And that's how people feel. I'm not that they didn't have somebody to that I knew they knew I was going to work at making it harder on everybody. It's still it's not too hard that you know if I lost who cares, right? I was there. Right?

Brandy Von Holten  32:37

Well, man, do you know, last year at our country, tough, trail versatility nationals. We have a lady in her 70s That got second in our, in our open division. Like she and I know and she she paid a little bit of extra money for our photographer to get the pictures from the person that won first place so she can analyze it and beating this year. And I'm like, Oh yeah, go get it girl. She was like, I can beat him and I'm like, I love like girl, you know? So. Alright, so in 2018 The all-around cowgirl challenge. You had to compete in haystack in and when we did haystack EAN, we had two people go at one time. So then you know whenever it's just one person competing in hay stacking. Yeah, you'll push yourself but whenever there's a second person, I mean, you blow up some cobwebs because you're like, it's a cold day before I'm gonna let somebody beat me in haystack and you know when you got somebody right there and you can see them stalking. Hey. So we had we had that we had shooting. And I think in that division, we actually had somebody that was 70 years old. I think that one shooting. She was competing as a 70 year old but she's so healthy. Oh my gosh. And then we had a division called Aachen drive that which we had a small tractor that time. We had tire changing. And then we had something called a farm girl relay and farm girl really I know that we have wheelbarrows and we have bags of shavings. We had clothes the head of be put on a line. I mean, it was like, there was a whole series of things that had to be done. So those were the non horse stuff. Now the top working ranch hand included an obstacle course again, now then, bareback pleasure. You had to do that pleasure pattern, but you had to do it bareback. Okay, now we also had barrel racing. Now, goat bloomer race, you had a rundown. Get off of your horse, put a pair of underwear on a goat, and then get back on your horse and come down. Okay, so that right there, made some amazing pictures. Most people were just so happy to be around the goat like one lady even stopped and posed with a smile just because she was so happy about being around the little goat Then we had modified cattle sorting, which was going in there and moving some cattle by yourself. So let's so this competition, it was a lot closer because people knew exactly. You know, they knew that Karen was going to bring the boom, so a lot more people prepared for this. So something that was another competitor that was at this competition had. She's in her early 20s. And she's a mama. And she had someone hit her in a car like a year before. And she lost her leg. Like it was a lady that was texting and driving. And she hit this lady head on. And it oh my gosh, it broke so many different bones. This lady has had so many surgeries. Well, she is also a horse woman. And she had just gotten fitted for a prosthetic leg. Because I think it's her. I think it's her left leg that is missing. And it's missing, like from the knee. Like she's got a little bit of leg past the knee. And everything below that had to be amputated. So this lady, she did not come in last I think she beat like three people overall. And she was able to do the tire changing the relay. I mean, yes, she was slower, but she still did. She did everything that everybody else did, without special modifications. And at the award ceremony, I mean, people were crying, you know, because they were just like, any excuse that I have ever made about, like, Why can't do this. And I can't do that. You know, some of the younger competitors were like, I feel stupid for ever seen any of that, because here's this lady with, you know, with a leg that's been amputated with a new prosthetic and the prosthetic wasn't fitting her well. So she was having some pain issues. They've got it figured out now because like, I think she has to put several socks on and it was just new, you know, there's pressure going on there. But at the end of that competition, everybody came together. And they, they in the you had won the overall. But then as the spirit of being a female that stepping up to the plate, you actually awarded her with your buckle, and all the other competitors came together. And it took me a little while to get it in, but they purchased you a replacement buckle. But I seen that competitor, this lady on the news and she was wearing that buckle I know that Mel meant so much to her because she's trying to get back what she had lost of her being a horse woman. And so in that

Karen Peck  37:55

spirit, that was that was the spirit of the competition. And, and she she made the competition because that, especially that year, was all about camaraderie, and people coming alongside one another, not just her, but that yeah, we're all in this together. And we're, you know, this is not about a winner. It's about winning as women in this competition.

Brandy Von Holten  38:26

Right? You know, whenever I look back on some of these events like this one in 2018, one of the competitors that she'll always stand out to me of just how beautiful it was. It was a competitor named Sharon. And Sharon rotten bareback was like a new concept for her. I will never forget the beauty of her riding her horse, bareback and overcoming that fear. I'll never forget. You know, you and your your daughter competing. And I'll never forget Mike you versus Abby on doing haystack. Because Abby, a lady named Abby, she got reverse champion both years. And so she was like, in it to win it. And then here y'all I think we're less than like a second apart or something. It was ridiculous.

Karen Peck  39:21

Cuz she, she is as competitive as I am. And I think people kind of are like, ooh, that could get ugly, right? But she that was the best time competing against her. And then we ended up just by chance because it was drawn where you ended up in the haystack. And we knew we were neck and neck and we had to stack against each other and it was so much fun because when we finished and I believe we tied lives intimately on the hate stalking and we just walked out ARM and ARM laughing because it was so much fun.

Brandy Von Holten  39:58

Do you know what the only thing When I called before I did this podcast with you was Abby, I was like, Abby, is there anything you think somebody would ever want to know or anything like that? She's like, man, Karen is such a respectable competitive competitor. She was like, Man, she is just one heck of a competitor. And she's like, that was such a fun event to do with her. You know, like, you made it more fun, because you made Abby be, you know, just even that much better. So, oh,

Karen Peck  40:31

yeah, that was it. That's what competition does. It makes everybody better.

Brandy Von Holten  40:36

Yeah, I love those cowgirl challenges, you know, how many people told me that I was crazy for wanting to do and an all cowgirl event, they were like, ah, women are going to bicker women are going to fight, it's going to be nasty, like, I had so many people say, girl do not do an all female event. And you know, they couldn't have been more wrong. Because that's, oh, the friendships that were made in that and the love that was failed.

41:10

Yeah, man.

Brandy Von Holten  41:12

I mean, it makes my heart swell. Now just thinking about these from the past. And, you know, there was eight different events. I never told anybody where they placed that until the very end, you know, at the award ceremony, So that right there really helped keep the event. None of that nobody knew how they were doing. They just like they would do their best because they didn't know where they replaced. A lot of people, it would always come down to those last couple of events. And if they thought that they couldn't win, they wouldn't do their best.

Karen Peck  41:46

Right? All right. Thing, was it interesting about those events was that that's really replication of what it is to be a cowgirl. It's not just about can you throw the spear fast? Or you that doesn't make you a cow girl it? Can you hang the clothes on the line, right? While you've just pushed wheelbarrows full of something? And can you run quick do that and then go perform, perform on a horse or do whatever is asked of you. And so the third of the event, and then it was really cool, because you could only use one horse. So it says nobody could come in with specialized horses, right, you have to use the horse you brought. And that was really important. Because then there was it was really real life, you had to take your horse. The first year, I took old solid horse, because I was you know, I don't want to be terribly embarrassed. And he was just a old horse that I had had all of the slides that I trusted. And then the second year I was like, huh, but can I do it on a different horse? Right. So that that was element of it. I think that was really neat that you had to use one horse?

Brandy Von Holten  43:01

You Yeah. And you know, I've these events are here. They're in my heart. What? From a marketing standpoint, people always thought that the event Oh, I'll do it next year. And then they don't because they they don't think that they're going to be good enough, right. So my first one of these was pretty big. And then everybody got accustomed to them being here. So I did not have one in 2020. I'm not going to have one in 2021. But I will bring it back, I'll probably bring the team one back. Because then people feel like, Hey, you're going to do this. And this. And it's a little bit easier whenever you have a team because if there's something you're horrible at, like a lot of people cannot back a trailer. And so they if they know that they can give that to a person that's really good at it, then the team, the teams are just as much as fun as the all around because then you've got your girls there. Y'all can have matching shirts, you know, it's just Oh,

Karen Peck  44:04

that was super cool. I didn't get to compete in that one. I was out of town doing something but our, our team, which I felt like I was part of, they had my picture there in the chair, so I could help support them. But that was so much fun. Because all the month leading up What are you doing and you're preparing for this and, you know, everybody was connected going into that as a as a team and it was so such a great event.

Brandy Von Holten  44:31

Right? So those are becoming back in 2022. I have to keep things rare at our facility, as soon as people think it's normal, then the numbers kind of drop off. So I've got to keep it fresh. I'll bring back a team probably in 2022. So let's Okay, so that was when you were 5556. Okay, so now then, we're going to talk about a couple other things. So Karen was in a Marriage for decades. And it actually ended. It ended two years afterwards so it freshly ended. And then after you went through a divorce, you had to your mother passed away on either I think it's Christmas Eve or Christmas Day, not this year. But last or it was a 19. Is that correct? Yeah. So,

Karen Peck  45:27

for that I went in the course of two years, getting a divorce finding out. Well, first of all have joyous events having my first grandbaby, right, right. My son, and baby There they go, all my kids are graduated. Everything's great. My son's out of state, but his young family, and then I find out that my, my marriage is failing and ending. My daughter in law gets diagnosed with cancer. My mom passes, and my best Corgi in the whole world. Roma died. And I mean, it was just a

Brandy Von Holten  46:13

big year. You also have your lot passed away the horse that you won the second cowgirl challenge on that horse also passed. Right

Karen Peck  46:23

now we really passed are really passed during this time. Yeah, but that horse still at home, hopefully.

Brandy Von Holten  46:32

Oh, okay. I thought it was I thought it was your horse. But it was the filly that and I know you had looked so forward to that. And your daughter was looking forward to the young horse. But it was just like, anything that could have a problem. We're not talking about like a little like a few stressors. It was every stressor in the world. Boom, boom, boom, boom, it was like somebody was laying down cards. And it was just everything was horrible. So now it has been a year, which 2020 was not the year for things to like, there was already so many stresses and 2020 on top of all of the things that you are going through. So but now your daughter in law, she's doing better. Like I know that you had to go up to where they live at in Maryland. And then your mother was in Arizona. And now your daughter in law's doing better you were having to she had an infant. And so you went up there and was a caregiver while she was going through treatment also. So how is she doing?

Karen Peck  47:42

She's doing so much better. She had to go through extensive chemotherapy, she had Hodgkin's lymphoma. And then the chemotherapy wasn't doing exactly what they had hoped it would do. So she ended up getting a stem cell transplant. And so she has gone through that. And now she's been, I think, like 160 days post transplant. And while she has complications, she's doing well. And my dad has made it through the first year of being without his spouse of 64 years. So he's done. Well, and, you know, I guess their worldviews matter. And my hope is in Christ, right? I have a fundamental space that pulls me through these things. But things are looking up. And while I was devastated, I'm excited.

Brandy Von Holten  48:42

Correct. So here's Karen. And Karen said that she, you know, whenever she was going through everything that she was going through, we would call and I we would I would just talk kind of business with her about like, what do you think about this? What do you think about that? And I remember you telling me that I was like, oh, like a breath of fresh air because I had, you know, we have excitement going on and positive things that we're trying to do here. And then how much that helped you to have somebody go forward. And right. I have a friend now that she lost her husband to suicide. And she has said the same thing that I don't baby her. I'm like, Hey, alright, let's not baby that's like probably not the right word. But like, I don't talk to her like, like she's a fragile eggshell. You know what I mean? I'm like, Hey, I've said, you can talk to me about anything that's going on. But then I'm going to treat you just like hey, because she's also got a business so I wanted to talk business with her. And she said that she's loved that because everybody's been so guarded and talking to her and it made it like pro long. The pain of everything where she's like, I've got to pick up the pieces. And so our conversation

Karen Peck  50:06

yeah, that's that was that key? I think anyone, it doesn't matter whether I find that with my, my dad goes to reopens and sits with the old guys. He's, like 86 now, and they talk about, you know, tragedy doesn't have to define you. Because you're still a real person, you need those people that treat you like a real person, that you're not the tragedy that you have been through that you're still a real person. Sometimes you need to be not defined by that.

Brandy Von Holten  50:38

Correct? Yeah. Well, you know, a lot of times, like I've been, I went through some rough stuff as a child and a young adult, but then I love for people to meet me whenever they don't know all of that. Because then I don't know. It's just like, it's a little bit fresher. Like the conversations are a little bit more fresh instead of like, what, you know, like, oh, that stuff, talking about that stuff brings me down. So it's really nice whenever sometimes people don't know that. So,

Karen Peck  51:12

yeah, yeah, wait, we think in our family that events don't define us, they can refine us and who we are. So if you really look at, because that's all that I've been through. And everybody has a story. Right? Right, everybody, nobody gets out of this thing. free of pain. But where I am now, peace, happiness. I'm good. You know, it's taken off. It's been a big road. But boy, do I love people even more,

Brandy Von Holten  51:47

right? Well, you find out who really has your back and really has your you know, right there with you. Whenever you go through something. And I love that you said that these events don't define us. They refine us. I know that there's nothing I have went through that was just horrible that I didn't get something out of it or a different perspective that made me made me better. On the other side, it made me more empathetic about, about people, it made me more. You know, it just made me understand people more going through some hard times what with everything that you've went through, you've got to be the All Knowing of how people feel at times. I call you whenever, whenever I have other friends that are going through grief and hard times. I'm like, Karen, what can I do to help them and like, you're like, let me check my rolodex of awful events and like, what? So anyways, I wonder

Karen Peck  52:53

what empathy does? You know, empathy gives you a whole new perspective. And I believe we go through through tough things that we might help others.

Brandy Von Holten  53:04

Right? So if y'all don't understand why, like why I call on Karen so much, and while she's one of my best friends, even though I don't get to see her that often, man by this, I mean, like, boom, Roper, right, and like, went through a child have an autism before autism was understood, and she helped her daughter become this amazing person that's now even going to help other people. You know, whenever they told her that she wouldn't do anything and you're like, Nope, I'm going to focus on her and then your son, your son, does he have like his PhD in I don't know what he is like highly educated I know that and he is a Is he a preacher?

Karen Peck  53:50

He's a pastor is Marilyn and he's working on he's an interesting cat as just love that both my kids are their own people. He's getting to doing his PhD work in Old Testament studies so but he's pretty cool cat. Yeah, I taking him to work is like seven years.

Brandy Von Holten  54:13

Oh, my gosh, yeah, your kids are completely different, but then functioning in their both realms of their life. You know, and that common thread is Oh, Karen Peck that was like, Okay, let's do this. You know, here's, here's the cards have been dealt and Lao let's, let's make this we're we're going to help the world be a better place. So we have, so go ahead.

Karen Peck  54:42

The cotton spread really has to be our worldview and belief system. I mean, I'm not trying to get into religion or anything like that, but that we do believe our belief systems really strong. And so we believe in Christ. That's our fundamental You have to have a foundation. Yep. That rock. Yeah. Whatever that is. That helps you when, when things are shaking.

Brandy Von Holten  55:08

Yeah, you've got that good solid foundation there and your family has went through some shaky times. And then y'all are moving on and in a positive direction. So that has to be a credited to your faith, for sure. Well, so here she is, she's one heck of a cowgirl and then went through some of the worst events of within a very short amount of time. And now on the other side of that, she's learned how to do this new form of artwork that's different for people to see in the United States and is in an art show. And and she's not even 60 years old. She's 59. So

Karen Peck  55:52

yesterday, I got to tell you a quick story have been long, but I guess I could store yesterday, I had an internet trip. I met a woman through a website, which I've done before, who was who rides in an area. I'm interested in writing and exploring. And she reached out, Hey, do you want to come ride with me? Because I said I was looking to that area. And she said, I can really show you some pretty country. I'm like, Okay, let's, let's do this. And so I arrived at the trailhead. She's already there. She's ready to go, we get on. She's got the cutest little Molly mule. And the Molly Mills 15. Her name's Bella. And she's fabulous. And we get to writing and we're talking about stuff and she asked me if I'd get the get down and get the gate because hard for her to get off and on because she's older than I am. She's 80. And this woman, out road me up and down some tough mountains for six hours. We wrote in some really rugged, tough terrain, that there aren't trails on it. This is just her the area of state land that she goes out and explores at 8080. Yeah,

Brandy Von Holten  57:06

well, I will tell you with us on in this facility. I man 50 year olds are equal to 30 year olds around here is what it looks like. And then 60 year olds. A lot of times, I will tell you, whenever I have a female that turns 60. It's like they're like, oh my gosh, I'm 60 I'm 60 Oh my god, like they freak out. And then by 61 They're like, Okay, I'm over that now I want to go ride my horse. But 60 is rough for some ladies that turn 60 And then I'm around so many of them. But then after that they're good to go. And then my ladies and 70s they, they don't care what you have to say about nothing. They're like, Nope, I'm gonna do this. And I got this new shirt and check out my horse. And but my 70 year olds are some cool cats. Okay, like I love my my ladies that are out here riding and there's this. My seven year old guys. They just get a little bit more cautious, you know, but then my women, I think they get squirrely or they're just like, I'm going to try to do this. I got this new horse. And I'm just like, I love this. And I don't, I only have, I think I have one or two that are pretty active in their 80s. But I know they're coming up because I got I've got some 5060s and 70 year olds that are acting like they're 25. And yeah, just having the room.

Karen Peck  58:31

We were growing up. It was quite a ways up what we wrote up on this, we went up through a saddle on a mountain here in Arizona. And she they started making these trails she was riding when she was 60. She moved there and they started working on these trails. And so we ride up this really rough mountain up to the top end of the saddle. And she's like, well, we'll take a little break when we get up there. And I'm thinking, Oh, that's a good thing. And we get up there and there's a cross and there's a little memorial up there. And she tells me her sister, which is really a friend that they'd ridden all their life together since they've moved their finances, wanted her ashes put up there in the salon, so they got a little memorial for sciences up there. And they you know, people send stuff up there. Francis died when she was 91. She was still writing at 90.

Brandy Von Holten  59:24

Wow. Now that's some goals. That is that that's that that's beautiful hold

Karen Peck  59:30

gold to meet people like that. And the wall that these older women have to give us crazy.

Brandy Von Holten  59:41

Well, I know I've picked some of my best tips up from whenever I meet older people and they're still rotten and they're still doing good. I listen up in there are some attacking things then they're like, why would you do it that way? Do it this way. And I'm like one and they tell me and I'm like well that sounds like a great idea. You know and I'll warn older people have went through some lives and they've seen things happen that could have been avoided. And so with us, and in this facility we love whenever people enlighten us with things that we didn't ever think about. And they're like, you know, like, we used to let people put their halters and lead ropes like just drape it over the top, it wasn't tied to our arena. And then one lady was like, Seana, seen a person go by and got their foot hung on one, and it pulled him off. And I was like, Oh, my God, we're never Nobody's allowed to put their halter and lead rope ever on our arena. Because, you know, there's two different types of people, sometimes people that learn through words and people that learn through scars, and we like to be the people that learn through words. So we don't have to learn through scars. Alright, Karen, so if somebody ever wanted to see your artwork, if they ever wanted to contact you, for a piece of, I mean, cuz you do custom paintings, I've seen some pictures of some fish that you've drawn, I've seen stuff with different states, if they ever wanted to contact you about artwork, how do they do that?

Karen Peck  1:01:10

I guess they'd have to go through brandy von Holten has to go through everybody. know me, I'm, I'm just doing the best I can. And right now, I'm really into learning this and I've got to test the waters to see if I'm, I'm where I want to be. My I no longer do the metalwork because of changes in my life and living place and all that. And that was kind of what I knew. And now I'm just learning this new obstacle course and going out there and testing the waters and getting better. So I'm kind of out of commission on that right now. Because this season is to be tested. So I gotta I gotta get in some art shows. And I got to see if I'm where I want to be on this before anybody gets a hold anything. Okay. All right. So I'm an Arizona artists here in Arizona and Sonora, and artists. And this year, I will start showing and selling. But you know, it's not about that. It's Yes, about can I make a dough in the art world here because I have to make a go doing something. And so I'm really right now, I'm setting that up to work. Can I make a go of it? Since it's kind of you know, it's a gamble right now.

Brandy Von Holten  1:02:34

Well, that's funny that you say it's a gamble. Because I know if I had to bet on someone I would bet on Karen Peck.

Karen Peck  1:02:41

Well, I didn't show up. Well, I did show up and not have studied for the test. So but I typically like to kind of be prepared before I show up.

Brandy Von Holten  1:02:54

Right? You're talking about one of our cowgirl challenges. Yeah, I don't think I don't remember your score on that. I think it was pretty low. But you made up for it. Another thing so that's okay. That

Karen Peck  1:03:03

No, I did really well, because it was it was my art background because David wrote a test.

Brandy Von Holten  1:03:09

Right. He wrote he wrote part of it. Yeah.

Karen Peck  1:03:13

Like regular wiring. We had to know about trailer one. Which one was the brake and which one was the blinker? It was very hard. And I guess I did everything I wanted.

Brandy Von Holten  1:03:25

Okay. I was thinking of your family whenever they did the team one. I know that the test score, there was a slower Wait, I had to say name Berto had to say. She might be embarrassed.

Karen Peck  1:03:42

Yeah, no. So I just, I ran through it. I was done in like, just minutes, because I was like, wow, this is gonna be my low score of the whole competition.

Brandy Von Holten  1:03:52

Right. So, alright, well, guys, I hope that you've enjoyed this interview with Karen. And you see now why I contact her and be like, What do you think about this? What do you think about that? If I come up with something crazy? Karen Peck has heard about it before y'all did because she helped me work through some of the pieces of it. So

Karen Peck  1:04:13

that's always needed my advice.

Brandy Von Holten  1:04:16

All right, well, hey, thank y'all for tuning in to Big Boss Mayer with brandy von Holten.