“Family is not an important thing. It’s everything.” – Michael J. Fox.

For the Herman Family, of Tulsa, Oklahoma, nothing could be closer to the truth. It’s what defines them, both inside the show arena and out.

The Hermans have patriarch Dr. Robert Herman to thank for their love of horses and competition.

He was born and grew up in San Antonio, Texas, while his father completed his graduate school work. But it was while the family was living just outside of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, that young Robbie was introduced to horses and showing.

“When I was in the fourth grade, we started doing some hunt seat and a bit of jumping, mostly 4-H based,” he recalled. “Then, when I was in the seventh grade, they got a new job and moved to Oklahoma and the focus changed to Western and all-around events.”

“We were not remarkably successful because we didn’t really have a trainer we’d work with much,” he said. “I broke out some of my own 2-year-olds for the Oklahoma 4-H Futurity and had some pretty good success with that,” he explained. “Back then, I enjoyed showing 4-H and Pinto and Paint with a little bit of Quarter Horse here and there.”

But now, after college, dental school, marriage and establishing a successful career as an orthodontist (he owns and operates Superior Care Orthodontics in Tulsa), Dr. Herman has returned to his love of horses and competition and he’s sharing it all with his wife, Krista, who he has known since high school, and their three children – Caroline, 17; Jackson, 15; and Ella Kate, 13.

“About six or seven years ago, the kids got into showing and eventually I started riding and showing again as well,” he said.

Caroline, Jackson and Ella Kate are all passionate about competing in Halter classes. Both girls also love riding classes.

“Having the whole family together doing it is one of the main things that we love about showing horses really,” Dr. Herman said. “It’s great to have so much time together and be able to cheer for each other and all compete at the same time.”

In fact, that’s the big appeal.

“It’s different from other types of sports and hobbies that way so there’s a lot of a lot of enjoyment there,” Dr. Herman said.

But it’s not always easy.

“The hardest part is when we have to split up and compete at different shows,” he said. “The girls may need to be showing at say the Redbud Circuit while I need to be in Kentucky showing,” Dr. Herman explained. “ With our disciplines they don’t always line up at the same place at the same time. The best part is just being there in person to cheer and root for our family members as they compete – there’s so much fun there.”

And the people in the industry become like family members as well.

The Herman family works with several professional trainers to help them achieve their goals.

Texas trainers Kelly and Adam Wainscot prepare the Herman family’s Halter contenders. Their Western Pleasure horses are in training with Gil Galyean and Leonard and Leigh Berryhill coach both girls in all-around events.

Dr. Herman said all are extremely talented professionals who do an excellent job for them. In recent years there has been a lot of emphasis on Western Pleasure and they count on the Galyeans to help them find the right show partners, like Lets Holiday, J Loww and The Chrome Shoppe, for their individual talents and needs and to guide them through the process.

“Gil, of course, is a record holder in terms of what is produced on the horses and has been able to get riders of all different levels and experiences to achieve all kinds of success,” he said. “And as a non-pro, Becky really sets the stage and tone for what the rest of us non-pros are trying to accomplish. Their work ethic is second to none. The hours of the day they spend preparing horses and getting horses ready and putting them in their best light and everything that goes into a successful horse show is remarkably impressive.”

At 17, Caroline has a very busy schedule, at school, at horse shows and with her social life, Dr. Herman explained. She is a varsity cheerleader and an academic overachiever.

In early 2023 she teamed with AQHA World and Congress Reserve Champion Lets Holiday (Chanel), for Western Pleasure classes.

The Herman family actually purchased the 2019 mare by No Doubt Im Lazy out of Shes On Holiday from the Galyeans for Dr. Herman to show in Western Pleasure classes.

“We got Chanel for me with the idea that Caroline would also show her in the youth and to be honest they get along better than anyone else does so I think it’s probably mainly her horse anymore,” Dr. Herman said.

Last year at the National Snaffle Bit Association (NSBA) World Championship Show, Caroline and Chanel captured a bronze in the Youth Pleasure 14-18 and they were Top 10 at the Quarter Horse Congress.

They will compete next month at the AQHA Youth World Show in Western Pleasure and then at the NSBA World Show and the Congress, as long as her cheer schedule does not interfere. She will also show VS Bettin On Red in Horsemanship and Western Riding at the AQHA Youth World Show under the direction of Leonard and Leigh Berryhill.

In addition to being a force to be reconed with on the show circuit 15-year-old Ella Kate just completed the seventh grade at Holland Hall School in Tulsa where she also competes on the school’s golf team.

Two years ago Ella Kate won the Small Fry Western Pleasure riding Vital Signs R Stable (by Good I Will Be out of Vital Signs Are Good).

Then last year, just a month after the Herman family purchased her through the Galyeans, Ella Kate teamed with two-time Congress Champion J Loww, sired by Sloww Motion out of Made By J, to win the 11 & Under Youth Western Pleasure at the Congress last year.

“We had been on the hunt to find her a really nice, solid pleasure horse and. J Loww fell into our lap and they’ve gotten along so well,” Dr. Herman said.

They will compete in Youth Western Pleasure at the AQHA Youth World Show next month and then at the NSBA World Show and the Congress in October.

Gil Galyean says working with the Herman family has been a great experience.

“They are wonderful people and are highly motivated and really receptive of instruction,” he said. “To be successful at the AQHA Youth World Show Galyean said the girls will need to focus on the presentation of their horses, be aware of their surroundings in the show pen and ride aggressively

Jackson, 15, will be a freshman next year at Holland Hall School.  A dedicated tennis player, practicing numerous hours most every day. He is on both the school and country club tennis teams. Jackson chooses to show Halter horses exclusively and his parents support him in that decision.

“He wants to show and he wants to be a part of it and he wants to compete,” Dr. Herman explained. “He just doesn’t really want to ride. He just wants to show. When we first started back six years ago, I got him to show a little bit in riding a couple of times, but he just didn’t love it. But he’s been in the Halter pen fiercely.”

This year he is showing TNR Latte On Ice under the direction of the Wainscotts. He and TNR Latte On Ice won and the AQHA Youth World Show two years in a row.

Dr. Herman decided a few years back to join in the fun and get back into the show pen himself, competing in Halter, Longe Line and Western Pleasure.

In 2021 he purchased The Chrome Shoppe, an AQHA/APHA sorrel gelding by No Doubt Im Lazy out of Made By J, when he was just a few months old.

At last year’s Quarter Horse Congress Dr. Herman and The Chrome Shoppe were Top Five in the 2-Year-Old Limited Non-Pro Western Pleasure. This year they won the 3-Year-Old Limited Non-Pro Western Pleasure at The Premier and then were Reserve Champions in the 3-Year-Old Non-Pro Western Pleasure at the APHA World Show.

“I just want to keep seeing what he’s going to do for us,” Dr. Herman said. “He’s one of my favorites to ride these days, and so I’m really looking forward to it.”

At home the Herman family founded and operates Superior Care Management, and built the farm that’s now known as Black Top Ranch, situated on 260 acres of pecan orchards, hay fields and wide open spaces, in Bixby, Oklahoma. It is home to the Herman family’s many stallions, mares and foals. They currently stand Count The Minutes, a 12-year-old, double registered stallion. His first foals are expected to compete in Longe Line classes this year.