Winning is ‘All in the Family’ for Colorado's Banister clan
By Kayla Starnes

It is said that the family that plays together stays together. For the Banister clan, which consists of father Marc, mother Karen, daughter Elizabeth, 20, and son Marcus, 16, of White Harvest Farms in Brighton, Colo., it certainly rings true. With a breeding, training and showing operation that encompasses very different disciplines—such as English jumping and Western team roping—the family spends quite a bit of quality time together both in and out of the show arena.

In fact, two family members—mother Karen and daughter Elizabeth—will compete against each other a total of four times at the inaugural APHA Fall Show, all on horses that carry their farm’s bloodlines. While both mother and daughter are focused competitors who work hard for every victory, at the end of the day they celebrate one another’s success.

Karen Banister, left, and daughter, Elizabeth, will compete against each
other again today at the APHA Fall Championship Show.

Karen Banister (left) and daughter, Elizabeth (right), are competing against each other in four jumping events.

“We absolutely both want to win. I think because we compete so much and bring so many animals to each show, it really has to be a matter of who laid it down in the competition and did the best today,” said Karen.

“And, that applies for our owners as well. They want to win so badly, and we want it for them. You walk out there, and do your best. Then, all the pressure is on the judges.”

Yesterday, Karen and Elizabeth both proved tough contenders in the Working Hunter Sweepstakes, Green Hunter Hack Sweepstakes and Hunter Hack Sweepstakes, as well as their other classes, which gave the judges quite a lot to think about.

So far, the two competitors have done well. Karen finished first and third in the Working Hunter Sweepstakes aboard two different horses, Indivisible and Classys Sacred Ticket, respectively. Indivisible, who is a son of the family’s foundation sire, Sacred Indian, netted owner Molly Precourt of Vail, Colo., a total of $890.

Classys Sacred Ticket, a Sacred Indian grandson, earned owner Kay Chester of Avon, Colo., $266. Elizabeth finished second on another Sacred Indian grandson,, Indescribable, taking home $544. The horse- and-rider team then continued on, winning the Green Working Hunter and its $405 in prize money, as well as $333 for their second-place finish in the Green Hunter Hack Sweepstakes. Both mother and daughter also increased their earnings in the Hunter Hack Sweepstakes. Karen finished second on Indivisible, winning $340 total, and Elizabeth was third on Classys Sacred Ticket, earning $50.

“It was Indivisible’s day,” said Karen about her daughter’s successful rides. “He is less experienced than Classys Sacred Ticket, so he’s more focused on his job. It’s a little harder to keep ‘Ticket’ intent.”

It was also apparently the family’s Rottweiler day as well. Sydney Von IXOYE, “Sid,” placed third out of four entries in the Draft division of the fun Doggie Derby race held just after the English events concluded yesterday. Keep your eyes open today. Sid might hit her stride in today’s race and win the gift bag prize.

While Marc and Marcus are not competing at the Fall Show, they have seen big success recently roping with their Paints, many of which are also results of the family’s breeding program. Less than three weeks ago, Marc and Marcus roped together at the United States Team Roping Championships (USTRC) National Finals in Oklahoma City, where Marcus won APHA’s Catch For Cash incentive for the Amateur division aboard his sorrel overo mare, Robins Shirley Mae, and took home $1,500 in added money. He finished the event with $11,600. This is Marcus’ second Catch for Cash win. Roping with his father last year on another Paint, he won the Novice division.

Karen takes credit for widening her family’s show ring resume to include roping several years ago. However, she admitted that the other Banisters have surpassed her roping abilities.

“I was the first roper in the family,” she said with a smile. “You know why I don’t rope much anymore? Because I don’t like to lose!”

For all her modesty, Karen is a mentor for her family, including the adopted family of friends, clients and staff that make up White Harvest Farms.

“It’s really nice to have someone to look up to and see how she does things,” said Elizabeth. “That helps me ride smarter and better. And, when I see her occasionally make mistakes, it makes me feel better when I make mistakes in the show ring.”

For Karen, the ultimate feeling of success is seeing her children excel, even if they happen to place above you in the process.

“You know you’ve done your job and raised your kids right if they go and beat you,” said Karen. “So there’s nothing bitter about a loss like that.”

If you missed the mother and daughter’s head-to-head action yesterday, you can still catch Karen and Elizabeth’s last joint event this morning in the Green Jumping Sweepstakes, which is the first class of the day. Regardless of which one of the women come out on top, it’s doing their best that really counts in this family-friendly rivalry. Then, as Karen said, the hard part is up to the judges.