WHAT MOTIVATES YOU?

To me, life is always about delivering more than what's expected of you. Giving it your best, delivering on your promises and always pushing yourself to new heights. We each have our own personal and sometimes complex ways to getting better at what we do in life. So I would love to hear what gives YOU motivation in what you do and to getting better? Are horses a big part of your drive?

One of the best quotes that I remember from years back is “Successful people do what unsuccessful people are not willing to do. Don’t wish it were easier; wish YOU were better.”

I can't argue with that as I believe it's 110% accurate and it has been proven time and time again on just how true it is.

HAVING AN ASSISTANT IN DUBAI

Wow crazy, tours in Dubai are almost half the price when you book two people as opposed to just one - a substantial difference. If there is one thing that I wish I could bring with me when I leave, it's an assistant. There are so many benefits when I have one with me, I have more freedom, more control and overall I have less things to worry about. I've seen it all last year, seen it in Kentucky and will see it again in Dubai.

I AM HEADING TO DUBAI!

Ever since getting into the Equestrian world, one thing that I've had on my list to do, is to capture the beauty of horses from another culture. Well, I am about to do that, as last week I received my first invite and opportunity on the table on the international stage, in which I gladly accepted. So this March I will be heading to Dubai, for the leading and finest Equestrian Business Event of the Middle East - the Dubai International Horse Fair.

On a few different occasions, I've talked about how learning from past mistakes is a vital and absolute necessary component to getting better - not only as a commercial artist but also as a business professional. I loved my trip down to Kentucky last Fall but with my biggest regrets, deep down I knew that I wasn't there long enough. I wanted to visit Keeneland and so many other well known landmarks that this state is known for but I just didn't have enough time and I wasn't able to extend my stay due to other commitments. Heading back to Calgary that Sunday morning, I felt like I was just getting started in Kentucky.

With that being said, I am not making that same mistake again. So my time in Dubai will be just under 10 full days to give me the extra time required to document the horse culture in this nation from several locations and landmarks. Riding a camel in their deserts? Photographing horse's in their deserts during a sunset? The potential is sky high and the possibilities are endless.

Time flies and this trip is only two months away but as I plan my list and my routes, I will post any exciting updates.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

HAPPY NEW YEAR! I am a true believer that writing goals down and putting them out into the universe sets things in motion to achieve those goals.

My #1 resolution for the new year is that I need to get out more shooting and filming. Many people believe that I take a lot of pictures and video, unfortunately I do not. I spend majority of my time marketing and business planning. But that will change at some point in 2019, as I will have some help from a marketing specialist/team on an on-going basis to free up some of my time to put towards other things.

So what are some of your goals for the new year, [including or excluding your horse(s)]? Want to learn a new discipline? Switching from Western to English? (ha jokes)

What do you want to learn?
What do you want to start doing?
What do you want to stop doing?

Think big. Don't limit yourself in what you think you can do because of fear. Share with me how you are going to rock 2019! :)

THE TOP 5 ASSIGNMENTS OF 2018 THAT "ALMOST" HAPPENED!

Here are the 𝗧𝗢𝗣 𝟱 𝗔𝗦𝗦𝗜𝗚𝗡𝗠𝗘𝗡𝗧𝗦 𝗢𝗙 𝟮𝟬𝟭𝟴 𝗧𝗛𝗔𝗧 "𝗔𝗟𝗠𝗢𝗦𝗧" 𝗛𝗔𝗣𝗣𝗘𝗡𝗘𝗗. Just about all of them would have easily made my Top 5 Highlights of 2018 if they occurred.

𝗛𝗼𝗻𝗼𝗿𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 #𝟮: 𝗘𝗾𝘂𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝗣𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗶𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗠𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗻𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗽𝗵𝗼𝘁𝗼 𝘀𝗵𝗼𝗼𝘁. 
This would have been unique alright but unfortunately we couldn't make our schedule's work before the baby's expected due date.

𝗛𝗼𝗻𝗼𝗿𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 #𝟭: 𝗠𝘆 𝗳𝗶𝗿𝘀𝘁 𝗛𝗮𝗻𝗱𝘀-𝗼𝗻 𝗣𝗵𝗼𝘁𝗼𝗴𝗿𝗮𝗽𝗵𝘆 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸𝘀𝗵𝗼𝗽. 
I was set to be flown out to Big Creek Lodge in Hanceville, BC to host my first workshop but it ended up being postponed due to other more important commitments from both sides.

𝟱. 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗦𝗵𝗼𝘄
Video work showcasing the high-profile stallion's at a Stallion show in Northern Alberta. Unfortunately we couldn't make it work due to budget and the timing was too tight.

𝟰. 𝗔 𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗽 𝘁𝗼 𝗞𝗼𝗲𝗹𝗻𝗺𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗲, 𝗖𝗼𝗹𝗼𝗴𝗻𝗲, 𝗚𝗲𝗿𝗺𝗮𝗻𝘆
To attend the 2018 Photokina expo. Photokina is the world's largest camera expo that runs once a year. I received in invite from a business professional in the photographic industry but unfortunately I was unable to attend the expo due to other business commitments. Next year's expo unfortunately has been cancelled but attending the 2020 is a definite possibility for me, it will be held in Germany again.

𝟯. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝟮𝟬𝟭𝟴 𝗥𝗼𝘆𝗮𝗹 𝗔𝗴𝗿𝗶𝗰𝘂𝗹𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗪𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗙𝗮𝗶𝗿 𝗶𝗻 𝗧𝗼𝗿𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗼, 𝗢𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗿𝗶𝗼. 
Again, I received an invite but unfortunately this was during the week before I was off to Kentucky for the Breeders' Cup so I was unable to make it happen.

𝟮. 𝗩𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗼 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝗲𝗿𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗮𝘁 𝗧𝗮𝘆𝗹𝗼𝗿 𝗠𝗮𝗱𝗲 𝗙𝗮𝗿𝗺𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝗞𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘂𝗰𝗸𝘆.
This assignment got cancelled due to the horse who was going to star in it, being sold.

𝟭. 𝗘𝗾𝘂𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝗣𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗶𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗟𝗶𝗳𝗲𝘀𝘁𝘆𝗹𝗲 𝗽𝗵𝗼𝘁𝗼 𝘀𝗵𝗼𝗼𝘁 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝘁𝘄𝗼 𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲 𝗖𝗮𝗻𝗮𝗱𝗶𝗮𝗻 𝗢𝗹𝘆𝗺𝗽𝗶𝗮𝗻 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗺𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗖𝗮𝗻𝗮𝗱𝗶𝗮𝗻 𝗦𝗵𝗼𝘄𝗷𝘂𝗺𝗽𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗺, 𝗧𝗶𝗳𝗳𝗮𝗻𝘆 𝗙𝗼𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿.
This was set for just after the Spruce Meadows, the 'National' tournament to take place right at Spruce Meadows. We were very close to making this one happen but Tiffany and I had conflicting schedule's so we were unable to set a date in a very tight time frame.

Losing two close friends over the years to brain cancer is a huge factor but ever since meeting this wonderful mother on Christmas Eve, her sickness has been on my mind ever since. Supplying her and her kids with Christmas dinner was wonderful but the heart of the matter is her illness and that is brain cancer.

She is set to go in for surgery next month but she still has one more dosage of monthly medication required to take and she is now 6 days behind with the symptoms starting to trickle back.

This has been on my mind, bothering me all Christmas Day. I do not like the feeling of helplessness and I especially do NOT like to see and hear about other's suffering, regardless of how well I know them. And most importantly especially alone when they don't have anyone else to go to.

As I type this post, emotions from what I've been through in the past are getting to me, and I don't want to end up regretting anything, so I am doing something about this situation and I am getting her medication to her ASAP.

OFFERING MY HELP TO A FAMILY IN NEED.

There has been something that I have been wanting to do for a couple Christmas's now, I just haven't gotten around to it - well no excuses this year.