Getting to know our MQHA Show Management Team: Courtney Parmenter
WHAT IS YOUR NAME? Courtney Parmenter ☺
WHAT IS YOUR ROLE WITHIN SHOW MANAGEMENT FOR MQHA? I have played many roles from show secretary to back gate manager to ring steward over the years. Now I am mainly in the show office as a show secretary.
WHERE ARE YOU FROM? Originally Kansas City, MO now in Edmond, OK with my husband Cody.
TELL US ABOUT YOUR FAMILY- My mom bred and raised paint horses when I was growing up and my dad was a cow/calf farmer along with row crops. I have five siblings. Only two of them showed horses growing up. I was the only crazy one who stuck with it all my life. I have 12 nieces and nephews who I love very much. My mom is one of the greatest people I know and I’m forever grateful she gave me the opportunity to fall in love with horses growing up. They all live in Kansas City so it’s hard being far from them, but I visit often.
WHAT GOT YOU INVOLVED IN HORSES AND FOR HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN INVOLVED? My mom was the reason I got involved with this world. She taught me how to ride from day one. When I was a child, I spent my days outside with mom while she rode. We raised many foals and I still have a sweet spot in my heart for the babies. I love to snuggle them all! She is my only horse lover in the family and still has my two retired show horses at her house. I showed in the APHA all around events growing up and was very involved with the MPHC (Missouri Paint Horse Club). I met lifelong friends through MPHC that I’m close with today. I’m not as passionate about the all-around events as I was growing up. I plan on getting more involved into the cow horse and ranch events in the future. I showed on the ranch horse team in college and loved every minute of it.
WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE CLASS TO SHOW IN OR WATCH? I love the working cow horse and ranch division events. I think those horses are so natural and athletic. I truly enjoy watching them at work. When I rode in college I had so much fun in those classes. It’s way less prep work and more relaxed! When I’m photographing, I like to do the hunter jumper classes. It’s a challenge to hit every jump shot, but I like watching how differently they all jump.
DESCRIBE YOUR BEST HORSE SHOW MEMORY- In 2017 I showed at the Region 8 Championship show with Dani Picard, Kelsey Ellis and Audrey Miesner. Audrey and I shared a horse as well as Dani and Kelsey. We had such a great time in Amarillo with those two gentle giants. We cleaned house and won every high point division we showed in!
WHAT ENERGIZES YOU AND DRAINS YOU AT HORSE SHOWS? Excited and grateful exhibitors give me a renewed sense of energy at shows. The long days drain me the most. I love getting nine hours of sleep a night and working horse shows makes that a challenge.
WHO IS YOUR ALL-TIME FAVORITE HORSE? My youth all-around horse, My Perfect Zippo. He’s happily retired at the age of 21 now, but he has the sweetest soul and put up with me for so many years! He loved to please people and he was better than I deserved as a youth. He taught me many lessons that I still utilize today.
WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE THING ABOUT MQHA? The family atmosphere is my favorite. People go out of their way to make the show a fun experience for new people.
WHAT DO YOU LIKE TO DO WHEN YOU ARE NOT AT A HORSE SHOW? I really like to wake surf at the lake. I don’t find much spare time for it anymore, but it’s one of my favorite hobbies. I also am a big sports fan, so I enjoy attending any sporting event. Whenever I am home during the fall and winter you can catch me tailgating at a Chiefs game.
DO YOU HAVE AN ADDITIONAL JOB, OUTSIDE OF SHOW MANAGEMENT FOR MQHA? I help my husband run our company, Cody Parmenter Photography, LLC. You can catch me in the arena photographing, running the sales booth, or helping at the backdrop at our shows and at other major shows during the year.
ARE YOU A MORNING PERSON OR NIGHT OWL? Once I have my coffee, I’m happy as can be. I’m an old soul and like to turn in early unless there is work to do. Back in my college days I was a big morning person, and my roommates definitely weren’t fans!
DO YOU USUALLY ARRIVE EARLY OR LATE? Early when it is business related, sometimes late when it is family or friend related. I hate the feeling of being late to an important event.
ON FRIDAY NIGHT…WOULD YOU RATHER GO OUT OR STAY IN? I used to say go out, but now I love a night in snuggled up with my corgi and hubby!
IF YOU COULD HAVE ONE SUPERPOWER, WHAT WOULD IT BE? It would have to be reading people’s minds. I think that would be so much fun and entertaining. You would really learn how people feel on the inside!
WHAT IS YOUR PROCESS FOR TURNING A BAD DAY INTO A GOOD ONE? I crank up one of my great playlists, grab some caffeine (or wine at night) and eat something delicious.
IF YOU WERE TO WRITE A MEMOIR ABOUT YOUR LIFE, WHAT WOULD YOU TITLE IT? I’m terrible at making decisions so it would probably say “place title here” because I wouldn’t be able to think of one in time.
TELL A FACT THAT MOST PEOPLE DON’T KNOW ABOUT YOU? I have a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in agricultural communications. I like to think I use my degree on a daily basis (at least that’s what I tell myself after six years of college). I mean horses are part of the agricultural industry and I communicate with people at shows all the time, so it counts right?
SHARE THE BEST PIECE OF ADVICE ANYONE HAS EVER GIVEN YOU. It’s simple: be kind. You never know what someone is going through or the impact you could have just by smiling. Life is pretty short so why would you want to spend it unhappy? I think this world needs more love in it. I try to always remember that in my most frustrated moments.
WHAT DID YOU WANT TO BE WHEN YOU WERE YOUNGER? I was obsessed with the thought of being an animal cop (ASPCA officer) for the longest time. I even dressed up as one for career day in elementary school! Then I thought I wanted to be a veterinarian and that quickly passed. I knew I wanted something involving agriculture and luckily, I chose a career path I really enjoy most days.
DO YOU HAVE ANY HIDDEN TALENTS? I’m an incredibly competitive person and in my family household we take game nights seriously. If anyone is up for the challenge in a card or board game, bring it on. I also have the weird ability to be able to memorize song lyrics like crazy. I’m pretty sure 50% of my brain is filled with lyrics. I can’t help it; I love music too much. I’ve been that way since a child, and it used to freak my mom out how I could remember them.
NAME ONE THING ON YOUR BUCKET LIST? I love to travel, and I want to see multiple countries in Europe as well as a trip to Australia. I recently visited Ireland in August and had the best time with my sister.
LAST MOVIE YOU SAW? The last movie I saw in theatres was Where the Crawdads Sing and it was great!
LAST BOOK YOU READ? I’ve been on a big Colleen Hoover kick lately, but the last book I read was Every Summer After
FAVORITE SERIES YOU BINGE WATCHED? I have multiple. I still binge watch The Office, Friends, Modern Family and New Girl. I love having them on as background noise while I am working at home.
WOULD YOU EVER GO ON A REALITY SHOW? IF SO, WHICH ONE? I’m not a huge reality tv show fan now, but I loved watching Project Runway with my mom when I was growing up. I can’t watch Keeping Up with the Kardashians or Desperate Housewives; they drive me nuts. I don’t think I would survive on a “classic” reality show these days.
FAVORITE SPORT TO WATCH? I would have to say football, basketball then volleyball. I love when the Olympics are happening and try to watch the highlights of all the unique sports.
FAVORITE TEAM? The Kansas City Chiefs and the Kansas University Jayhawks. Also, I will always cheer for my alma mater the Missouri State University Bears!
FAVORITE RESTAURANT? I constantly go to Uncle Julio’s Mexican Cantina in Edmond and Fort Worth whenever I am in Texas. Velvet Taco is a second favorite that finally opened a location in Oklahoma!
FAVORITE FOOD? Mexican! I can eat chips and salsa every day.
FAVORITE QUOTE? I have two that I really like both by MLK.
"Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. We are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly.” – Martin Luther King Jr.
“Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate, only love can do that.” – Martin Luther King Jr.
ANYTHING ADDITIONAL YOU WOULD LIKE TO SHARE? Thank you for having us manage the MQHA shows! Missouri is home for me, and I absolutely love being able to help out the association. Let’s go have some fun!
