When you have a horse with as big a personality as The Rocknroll Cowboy (Bennett), you can’t help but enjoy the shows.

After selling his previous show horse, 38-year-old Adam Parks, of Washington, D.C., took his time finding a replacement.

There were countless hours spent watching videos on Facebook and YouTube, and visits to farms to try out candidates, Parks came across the 2011 red roan gelding by HH Red Rock and out of Motion to Continue when he was just a 3-year-old.

“My trainer at the time, Steve Meadows, and I came across a video for Bennett that Kenny and Ashley Lakins had posted,” he explained. “My friend Lee and I made a trip to Ohio to try him. A few weeks later, we were at our first horse show together.”

Five years later, Parks and Bennett are competing in Trail, Horsemanship, Western Pleasure, Showmanship and Halter at American Quarter Horse Association sanctioned shows and futurities under the guidance of Chris Gray Performance Horses.

Parks says The Rocknroll Cowboy has one of the biggest personalities of any horse he’s ever owned.

“He is always in a good mood and loves being as close to people as he can physically get,” he said. “He particularly loves snuggling up to girls with long hair.”

Trail and Horsemanship are Parks’ favorite classes in which to compete because he especially enjoys the technical aspects of executing a pattern.

“I also appreciate that you can review your scores from the judges afterward,” he explained.

His commitment was rewarded in 2018 when he and Bennett placed third at the Quarter Horse Congress in Level 1 Amateur Trail.

“Even though we didn’t win, it meant a lot to me because we both were still very new to the class and he gave me 110 percent that day,” he said.

This year Parks hopes to compete at the AQHA World Show in Amateur classes and looks forward to his favorite show – the National Snaffle Bit Association’s World Championship Show and Breeders Championship Futurity.

“The atmosphere there is unique and you have a lot of classes offered that you do not typically have at the breed shows,” he explained. “You also get to meet people you may not typically show with within your breed shows.”

Parks grew up in Pennsylvania and has been obsessed with horses for as far back as he can remember.

“My cousin took me on my first horseback ride when I was around 5 years old and I was hooked ever since,” he said. “Neither of my parents are horse people though, so I had to beg for another seven years before I got one of my own.”

On his 12th birthday Adam’s parents, Vicki and Bernie Parks, surprised him with his first horse, a gray gelding named Heza Son of Gun.

“My first-grade elementary school teacher put them in touch with a local Quarter Horse barn where I would ride after school,” Parks recalled. “One day I showed up to ride and there was Buddy standing in the stall.”

Together they started showing at local 4-H and Open Shows and progressed to competing at Quarter Horse shows through his career.

Following his graduation from Shannock Valley High School in Rural Valley, Pennsylvania in 1999 Parks took a break from showing to work on a degree in Information Systems from Clarion University in Pennsylvania. After he completed his degree in 2003 Parks went to work as an Internal Auditor for Gables Residential, a real estate development and management company in Washington, DC.

He credits AQHA’s leveling program for helping him get back to what he loves – showing horses.

“I think that the leveling programs have served to attract many new members, and even some returning members, and will continue to do so by creating even playing fields for those who want to enter the industry,” he said. “It definitely helped me decide to return to showing in the Amateur division knowing I could start back as a Novice. A lot had changed in 15 years!”

When he is not working or showing, Parks enjoys attending concerts, boating, kayaking, hiking, and going to the great museums and events throughout D.C.

He also has a passion for travel.

“Aside from Australia, where I lived briefly during my time away from showing, one of my favorite destinations has been Spain and the island of Mallorca,” he said. “One of my bucket list destinations is a trip to the Nordic countries and to witness the Aurora Borealis.”

That love of traveling and exploring new places is in part, what motivates him to show.

“Showing combines my love of horses and traveling and meeting new people,” Parks said. “I am also very competitive with myself and enjoy the challenge that showing horses provides.”

And, he’s had plenty of encouragement along the way.“I have been lucky enough to have a lot of great influences over the years,” Parks explained. “I admire anyone who takes time to offer words of encouragement or who promotes good sportsmanship.”