Marc Wagman

It is family lore that Marc was actually switched at birth. Marc's parents, both born and raised in Philadelphia, could not believe their son's love for animals, particularly horses.

When Marc's Dad took a job in rural, western Pennsylvania when Marc was three, Marc's life took a huge turn. Three men had a huge part in shaping Marc's desire to become a horseman.

The first was Jack Ashman of Williamsburg PA. Jack was a school teacher and 4-H leader, and Marc became part of his family. Every weekend, spring, winter, and summer break, Marc would stay with the Ashmans. In addition to riding as much as possible, Marc did the chores, helped make hay, and never got out of Jack's shadow.

^Marc Wagman and son, Ben 

The second man to encourage Marc was Ward Studebaker, the best kept secret in Pennsylvania. Ward was the head horse herdsman at Penn State, and Marc met him while attending school there. Ward was an incredible hand with great insight into a horse's mind. Ward could lope a perfectly straight line and change leads every other stride.

Marc got to see and feel what it was like to have a horse truly broke. The only problem was Ward rode during Marc's biochemistry class. Marc failed biochemistry.

^Marc Wagman in Indonesia on business

Before Marc could get far into his training career, the chance arose for Marc to have his own garment manufacturing business. He seized it and spent the next ten years manufacturing his merchandise all over the world.

Despite the demands of his business, Marc kept involved with reining and in 1988, Marc made the best horse decision of his life. He bought Rest Stop from Doug Millholland's dad early in her three year old year. Marc would not get to see Rest Stop and Doug Millholland be Reserve Champions at the 1988 NRHA Open Futurity, losing to Mr. Melody Jac and Tim McQuay by 1/2 a point. He was in Indonesia.

But the next year Marc won his first bronze on Rest Stop at the Congress, and the last time Marc showed Rest Stop they won the Saddlesmith Bronze Non Pro class at the NRHA Futurity. 

^Marc Wagman with the great mare, Rest Stop

Tami Wagman

For Tami, the horse bug bit early and was readily encouraged by her mom, Susanne, an avid horse enthusiast. 

Growing up on a farm in central Nebraska, Tami had miles and miles of cornfields in which to ride. At least once a week, Tami's mom would strike out in the truck to see why her daughter had not returned home after being horseback for four or more hours.

Tami began her show career at the age of 6 on a grade gelding named Misty that Tami's mom had raised and trained herself. Misty was worth his weight in gold.

^Tami Wagman, age 2

After several years of successfully competing at the 4-H level, Tami decided she wanted to try her hand at breed competitions. Tami's mom purchased a big, so ugly he was cute, paint gelding named Gambler's Luck. At the first three paint horse shows they placed dead last in every class. But perseverance paid off and a few years, and a few horses, later, Tami was beginning to have some success in paint horse competitions.

^Tami and Misty at Tami's first horse show, age 6

About that time, Tami's mom fell in love with a weanling filly who had just won the Nebraska Paint Horse Association weanling halter futurity. Her name was Miss Janie Robin and it was this mare that would allow Tami to begin competing at the national level. Tami's mom also sought out the help of professional trainers and, at that time in Nebraska, they were not hard to find.

Tami and her mom broke Miss Janie Robin, but after saving up some extra money from a good corn crop, Tami's mom sprung for 60 days training with Bob Loomis Quarter Horses of Bee, Nebraska. (Amazingly enough, one of the young assistant trainers who would ride the mare was named Marc Wagman, although Tami does not remember meeting him).

^Tami making a haul at the Franklin County Fair - nice hat!

Tami graduated high school and went on to the University of Nebraska at Lincoln. It was the summer of 1990, after her freshman year in college, that she worked for Bob Loomis' brother, Ed Loomis. Ed took Tami to the NRHA Derby, then in St. Paul, Minnesota, her first NRHA event. It was there that she ran into a gentleman with a horse named Rest Stop who said he had met her at Bob Loomis' when she was 12.

She liked his horse. He liked her Wranglers. And the rest is history. 

^Tami and Miss Janie Robin, 1983 APHA Youth Reining Champions

Tami graduated from the University of Nebraska and went on to Vermont Law School to study environmental law. It was there that she and Marc got engaged and moved to Oklahoma upon Tami's graduation. Tami continues to work as a lawyer, not in environmental law, but in corporate, technology and securities law.

In the summer of 2003 she fulfilled a major goal by winning the NRBC Limited Non-Pro Derby and the NRHA Limited Non-Pro Derby. At the beginning of the year, Tami told her husband she wanted to 1) mark a 216 or higher and 2) win a belt buckle at a major event so she could hang up her APHA Youth National Champion buckle without resorting to wearing one of his.

She won her coveted buckle at the 2003 NRBC marking a 216.

She won another buckle at the 2003 NRHA Derby, marking a 220. She now sleeps with her belt on. Tami looks forward to raising her family and great reining horses.

^Marc & Tami Wagman's wedding