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Friday, March 16 2018 / Published in General

Bill Rube: Keeping What Matters by Giving it Away

Bill Rube

By Doris Degner-Foster

Portraits by Kathy Russell Photography

By all accounts, Bill Rube shouldn’t be here today. As a young man who struggled with drug and alcohol addiction in the 1970s and ’80s, he feels remarkably blessed to have escaped from that era with his health intact. “There is no coincidence in life, and when you go through all the trials and tribulations that I’ve been through,” Bill said, “you realize that things happen for a reason. I don’t regret any of them because they have gotten me to where I am today.”

With a thankful heart and a positive attitude, Bill’s journey through the show world didn’t end with just competing. In addition to his full-time job as a supervisor at a call center, Bill found that helping others was beneficial to his recovery. He volunteered at the USHJA, and then went on to become the USHJA Fund Development Director where he became known for his commitment to the hunter-jumper industry.

Bill is the executive director of the Lindsay Maxwell Charitable Fund

Bill, who lives in Pennsylvania, recently became the executive director of the Lindsay Maxwell Charitable Fund, where he continues his work in alignment with his philosophy of giving back. The fund is an organization that strives to improve the lives of children with special needs, enabling access to educational opportunities while also focusing on care and compassion to animals. The fund has sponsored several major horse shows benefitting worthy charities.

Horses From the Beginning

“My mother got me a rocking horse when I was a year and a half and she claimed that I lived on it. I took naps on it and ate every meal on it until I was about 5 years old,” Bill said. “I just always had a love for horses and I was fortunate to live where there were a lot in Bucks County, Pennsylvania.”

He began riding when he was 5, and when he was older, Bill rode his bicycle to local stables to hang out and watch riding lessons, hoping for a chance to ride. “I ate, slept and breathed horses; it was like an obsession and a passion,” Bill remembered.

He built a broad skill base by riding whenever he got the chance, competing in gymkhanas and riding bareback with friends. A real ‘ring rat,’ Bill would go to horse shows and keenly observe riders and trainers. He especially remembered watching Katie Monahan Prudent, Rodney Jenkins, Bernie Traurig and George Morris.

“I remember a lesson George was giving to Betsy Bolger at Devon,” Bill said. “I watched it from start to finish and she went into the ring and applied all the techniques he told her and she won the class. It was beautiful.”

Observing the execution of each trainer’s techniques stayed with Bill and helped him become a successful rider. “I was one of those types who watched everything from the ring to the schooling area; I was interested in the whole picture,” Bill explained. “I was always hungry for knowledge and I took lessons from a lot of people: Louise Serio, Leo Conroy, Billy Glass, and Scott Stewart helped me some when he was back in New Jersey.”

When Bill started college, he rode with Jack Trainor at his barn in Spring House, Pennsylvania. He took advantage of every opportunity to ride before he had his own horses and did very well in the Amateur Owner divisions. “Once I started to compete, I began to win right away. I was very competitive,” Bill said. “I’m the type of person that when I take on something, if I can’t do it perfectly, I don’t do it. That can be a downfall because I’m such a perfectionist.”

Bill competing All About Me
Photo by Randi Muster

Turning It Around

In the 1970s, drinking and drugs were readily available and accepted on the show circuit among Bill’s teenage friends. He stressed that he didn’t become an addict because he was involved with horses — on the contrary, horses always gave him a good feeling — it was just that the horse showing scene was another place where others were also drinking and doing drugs. He began to realize that it went too far when the addiction had consumed him.

“The funny thing about addiction is that you don’t realize you’re addicted,” Bill said. “It creeps up on you and you don’t start to realize that you’re addicted until you get up in the morning, immediately craving the drug or alcohol.”

Like many addicts, Bill felt like he could stop whenever he wanted to, but began to face the fact that he couldn’t. “When I went into rehab for the first time, it was to appease everybody else,” he said. “So when I left the rehab, I went right back [to my previous lifestyle]. I did that whole cycle of going in and out of rehab many times. I finally just got sick and tired. At one point I said, ‘I can’t do this anymore. I can’t get better alone.’ Once I let other people help me, it started to turn around.”

Accepting help from others turned into a two-way street for Bill — he found that the key to his recovery was in also helping others. “There’s a saying that you can’t keep what you have unless you give it away,” Bill said. “I believe that’s true in life whether you’re a billionaire or somebody that makes $30,000 a year and helps out at the church on weekends. You have to do something to give back.”

With Bill’s experience volunteering on several committees and task forces with the USHJA, coupled with his longtime association with the industry, he was offered the job as funds development director for the USHJA Foundation, raising funds for the many worthwhile endeavors the association sponsored.

“I worked closely with the board members, keeping them up with initiatives and all sorts of ways to raise money and bring awareness to the programs and what we had to offer — both to donors and recipients. It was really important to me to get the donors involved and let them know where their money was going,” Bill said. “Other organizations get the check, cash it and that’s the end of it, but I would follow through and keep everybody involved through the whole process. It’s important to take the time to thank people, acknowledging anything they did no matter what the donation was.”

Bill was highly successful during his time with the USHJA and was awarded the USHJA President’s Distinguished Service Award in 2012 and 2013. In 2014, he was named the USHJA Volunteer of the Year and in 2016 he was presented with the Moran Family Excellence Award.

Bill with Lindsay Maxwell

A New Opportunity

While traveling on the West Coast for the USHJA in June 2017, Bill met Lindsay Maxwell, who asked about his work. “She was interested in everything I was doing and was very supportive right off the bat,” Bill said.

Lindsay offered Bill the position of executive director of the Lindsay Maxwell Charitable Fund in November 2017, and he’s excited about the work. He pointed out that they have much in common. “Although she’s younger than I am, Lindsey came up through the ranks just like I did and she wants to make sure that same experience is provided to deserving students,” Bill said. “So it was a no-brainer for me to jump and accept the job offer.”

Bill believes whether fund recipients go on with horses as a career or not, it can help shape an individual for the better and provide a good foundation for life. “It has turned into part of my philosophy and I really want to do things that make a difference, to leave a good footprint here,” he said.

While Bill’s heart is definitely aimed at changing the world, he knows one thing is currently missing. “I haven’t ridden in about a year and a half but I’ve decided that I’m going to start riding again,” he said. “I buy weanlings or yearlings and I’ve been doing that for a while, bringing them to 3 or 4 and selling them and then looking for the next prospect. But I definitely need to ride again to totally fill my cup. There’s just a little something missing and I know that’s it. Even if I just get on one day and trail ride, I just need that connection.”

Photos by Kathy Russell Photography, kathyrussellphotography.com, unless noted otherwise

 

 

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Tagged under: Bill Rube, Doris Degner-Foster, kathy russell photography, lindsay maxwell charitable fund, USHJA Foundation

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It's #STUDSunday and today's featured stallion is. It's #STUDSunday and today's featured stallion is...

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You can find ALL of the stallions featured towards the back of the magazine in the equestrian gallery. Keep a look out EVERY Sunday for a new handsome STUD muffin🧁 and don't forget to subscribe to get your very own edition of Sidelines Magazine, the magazine for horse people, about horse people 🦄

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Annette Longenecker wasn’t just born into horses Annette Longenecker wasn’t just born into horses—in a way, she was born into her career. She grew up in Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania, where her parents ran a farm. Her mother taught, and her father had a jump business and then created one of the first horse show software programs: Ryegate Show Services, Inc.

Riding all her life, Annette spent many years as a groom and loved it, but knew it wasn’t what she wanted to do as a career. After she finished college, Annette’s father recruited her to help process entries at Ryegate. Since her father, Lloyd Longenecker, founded it in 1981, Ryegate has provided show management and office staff for some of the largest shows in the country. Now, Annette has taken over from her father and directed the company as it focuses on managing memberships and rankings for organizations such as the North American League, WIHS Championships and Equitation, Rolex/USEF Computer Ranking and National Medal Series (THIS NCM and Ariat NAM). Ryegate also provides scoring software for use with video walls, and production teams for hunter and jumper shows.

“Besides running Ryegate Show Services and its various organizations, I can be found in the show office, running a scoreboard or judging jumpers at most shows,” Annette said. “I love getting to wear a few different hats at the show.”

When she’s not busy at a show, Annette lives in Annville, Pennsylvania, with her “fur-baby,” Maggie Mae, and enjoys spending time with her many godchildren. Though she doesn’t currently own any horses, Annette rides when she can at Rolling Acres Farm with Patty Foster, Ashley Foster-Worthington and Mary Lisa Leffler.

Read this month unbridled with Annette Longenecker by clicking the link in our bio. Never miss a story by subscribing to Sidelines Magazine! 🦄
📸Photo by Sheryl Sutherby

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A column from Liz Halliday-Sharp herself The spor A column from Liz Halliday-Sharp herself 
The sport of eventing is a demanding and mentally challenging discipline that requires a combination of physical and mental fortitude from both the rider and horse. While having a coach can be incredibly beneficial, self-coaching can also play a crucial role in a rider’s success.

I think that given the opportunity, most riders would like to be coached every day. The reality of life in the horse world, however, is that the majority of us need to absorb as much from the lessons we have on a limited basis and then practice those skills at home to improve.

When I am riding, I try to have a plan for the horses each day and focus on what I’m looking to achieve. It’s important to be aware of the steady improvements rather than trying to solve everything all at once. This is especially important when teaching horses new movements or exercises that they might struggle with, and we need to give them time to learn and understand what we are asking for.

I have a couple of quotes that I use regularly when I’m teaching, and these are mottos that I hold myself to in my daily work as well.

The first is, “If you do what you have always done, you will get what you have always gotten.” This is a quote that was said to me many years ago when I was still motor racing and I keep it in the back of my mind each day. It’s easy to get stuck doing the same thing every day with your horse and bad habits are hard to break, from both riders and horses!

This leads me to my next quote, which is, “If what you are doing isn’t working, try something else.” It really is as simple as that! Many riders I see keep asking a horse to do something the same way over and over with an ongoing negative response and they wonder why things don’t get better. In these circumstances, I recommend that the rider change something, even if it’s wrong.

Read the full article by clicking the link in our bio! Don’t forget to keep your eye out for our April subscription!
📸Photo by Alex Banks Photography
The✨April issue✨ of Sidelines Magazine is here The✨April issue✨ of Sidelines Magazine is here and we are so excited to feature three-day eventer Liz Halliday on the cover! Big thanks to photographer Melissa Fuller for the beautiful photo of Liz and Cooley Nutcracker- Liz Halliday-Sharp - HS Eventing. Liz and her horses have taken the eventing world by storm - and find out how Liz is at the top of the sport as a female eventer! As the horse world gears up for the Land Rover Kentucky Three-Day Event 2023, it's the perfect time to enjoy our eventing issue!! We also feature eventer and woman entrepreneur Frankie Thieriot Stutes, who is not only an eventer, but also runs Athletux and FRANKIE CAMERON handbags and accessories. And don't miss our eventing story on Robert "Bobby" Costello, who will be leading the US Eventing team to the 2024 Paris Olympics- and US Equestrian has named Bobby the eventing technical advisor/chef d'equipe!! Liz, Frankie and Bobby all have GREAT stories - don't miss any of them and don't forget to get your tickets for the Land Rover Kentucky Three-Day event! We are also excited to introduce you to hunter-jumper rider Casey Lorusso Smith, who is not only a talented rider but also a psychotherapist and incorporates horses into her career. If you are up for adventure, then read the story on dressage rider Priscilla Baldwin who certainly doesn't let any grass grow under her feet! We also head to the west coast to catch up with hunter-jumper trainer Jim Hagman of Elvenstar Farm, we feature beautiful art by equestrian artist Tammy Tappan, and we get to know Miranda Jones and her family. Miranda is not only an attorney who spends a lot of time in the courthouse, but she's a rider and spends lots of time riding, and is joined by her daughters also! We are excited to feature Stephanie Lightner in our Unbridled column, and don't miss our columnists George Williams, Robert R.L. Jacobs and Margie Sugarman! It's a great issue - and you can read it online, but don't forget to go to the website and order a subscription and get every issue delivered to your mailbox!! Enjoy this issue and enjoy the ride: Link in bio!!
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