We received a note from Patti Shores about her Appaloosa mare, Miss Hollywood Gold. The two of them combined efforts to win the 2007 High Point 4-6 year-old Non Pro Horse of the Year from the Washington Reining Horse Association. “Holly” is a five-year-old sired by Hollywood Taps GN, out of Miss Quincy Cash. Patti says she trains her own horses, but takes lessons when she needs help. The WRHA is an affiliate of NRHA and sponsors the largest NRHA shows in Washington. Holly is also a favorite trail horse between reining events.
Congratulations Patti and Holly!
As with most of you, ApHC staff members are making plans, checking their lists, and preparing for a variety of Christmas activities. Trips to visit family and friends will begin in earnest this weekend. But, even as the pace of life becomes more hustled and bustled, all of us want to extend our warmest wishes to you for a peaceful and meaningful holiday season. And, we look forward to the New Year with optimism and commitment. The ApHC community is special and we are proud to be a part of it. Be safe and be well.
The Appaloosa Horse Club was formed in 1938, so that makes next year our 70th anniversary as a breed organization. The Journal is planning a special feature for late summer or early fall, but we thought you might like to offer some suggestions about other ways to mark this celebration-worthy milestone. In addition to specific opportunities such as the National and World shows, we’ll work on media releases, website featurettes, and other ways to spotlight our history.
Feel free to send us your comments and suggestions about how we might do more than “observe” our anniversary in 2008.
Appaloosa Horse Club Offers Rebates to Chartered Regional Clubs .
We hope you’ve all heard the exciting news…beginning in 2008, Appaloosa Horse Club (ApHC) members will have more membership perks than ever! When you join the ApHC, you’ll reap the rewards all year long with the Appaloosa Members Advantage Program. That means big savings for you and big benefits for your breed of choice. Every purchase through the Appaloosa Members Advantage program provides members with savings on products used for their farms, businesses, and personal use.
The Appaloosa Member Advantage program offers discounts to ApHC members for products on premium brands including Dodge, John Deere, UPS, Sherwin Williams Paint, Toshiba and Office Depot.
On December 1, 2007 the ApHC Board of Directors decided to make this program even more exciting by offering chartered regional clubs a $10.00 *rebate for each **new ApHC adult membership they acquire in 2008.
The re-designed ApHC membership forms will include a location for each chartered regional club to write their club name and charter number so they can receive credit for the **new ApHC adult membership and it will list all of the great benefits and value of having an ApHC membership.
Programming is nearly complete that will allow those individuals purchasing their ApHC membership on the website the option to give credit to the regional club of their choice.
For more information about the Appaloosa Member Advantage program, call the ApHC Marketing Department at (208) 882-5578 or via email at marketing@appaloosa.com.
• Rebate monies will be paid to eligible chartered regional clubs at the end of the 2008 calendar year.
• **new ApHC Adult membership definition: a person 18 years or older who has not had an ApHC membership within the previous two years.
After serious discussion in four different breakout groups, members at the town hall meeting in Hartford heard a summary report from each moderator. Some of the ideas specifically for regional clubs included a workshop or seminar to help clubs recruit sponsors, more and better communication between clubs within a zone and territory, and more help with overall promotion and marketing.
At the office, we’ve already talked about a couple of priorities mentioned in Hartford. We definitely want to investigate some options for trade show displays and materials. One possibility is to arrange for a buying pool to offer tabletop displays at a nice discount. Regional clubs could keep these for their own use and update handout material as it becomes available. We’ve also agreed that we should make a variety of handouts available for download so that clubs could print a supply for themselves whenever they need more. One of the biggest bumps in the budget road for ApHC marketing is the cost of shipping materials – often on short notice. Sometimes it’s our own fault, sometimes it’s just one of those things. In any case, by offering a variety on-line, clubs would have access to printed material most suited to their region and audience.
Regional clubs were encouraged to take advantage of local opportunities to have shows and activities listed in media calendars, usually at no cost. It was also suggested that clubs could provide gift subscriptions of the Appaloosa Journal to local libraries, schools, professional offices, Extension agents, FFA chapters, etc.
Two VIP’s participating in the recent “Town Hall” meeting in Connecticut were Kip Shepard and Barbara Breed, shown here. In fact, Kip was one of the supporting sponsors who helped with facilties and meals for the regional club members in and near Territory VI. Barb, a former ApHC director, helped with the discussions and, for better or worse, documented the event with numerous photographs.
As I suspect happens when any group of members gather, there were discussions about the challenges faced by regional clubs — costs of putting on a show, national point fees, judges (costs, the need for more information and perhaps a rating system), the number of approved ApHC classes, incentives for color, breed standards, show rules, etc. We’ll be posting, or at least making available, the complete set of notes from the Hartford meeting very soon.
We are pleased to announce that ACAAP points are now available on the appaloosa.com website via the show points inquiry page. Thanks to Cathy Green in our info tech department for all the work to make this available. We’ve already received positive feedback from members (see below).
THANK YOU for putting the ACAAP points on the Show Points search. I am very proud of what my horses have done in Open competition and I am glad to be able to confirm how many points they have earned. I truly believe this is a very worthwhile program that puts the Appaloosa where it should be, out where everyone can see how great they are and not just at breed show where the true believers are. I believe the ACAAP program shows new people the ability of these wonderful horses and exposes them to something other then just QHs and Paints. Keep up the great job.
Here is a picture of Pretentius Impresion (Andee), yes that is the correct spelling, she has been in the ACAAP top ten every year since she was a weanling, has her ACAAP Superior in Halter with a total of 100 points. Her dam, That’s My Impression, was the first horse that I enrolled in the program and this year I showed both Andee and her sister, Dignified Impression, both of whom are in the Top Ten.
MUCHELL VAHL
The TRAIL END DVD is now available…and just in time for Christmas gifts and stocking stuffers. The DVD includes the award winning short film TRAIL END, starring Barry Corbin ( and the Appaloosa co-star Chippen Gold, aka “Chip”, and a Behind the Scenes featurette about The Making of Trail End.
Purchase the DVD by going to this link: http://www.justhank.com/trailenddvd.htm
More than 60 ApHC members representing several states and regional clubs gathered in South Windsor, Connecticut, for a “town hall” meeting this past weekend. Hosted by President Eric Beené and Territory VI directors Chuck McWhirter, Ray Burchett, and Laura Lyon, the session focused on more than issues and concerns. Work groups tackled specifics and outlined recommendations, options, and priorities for a stronger Appaloosa Horse Club and a mutually beneficial relationship between ApHC and regional clubs.
Major topics included membership, national and regional shows, judges, and marketing. Breakout groups worked on each general topic and discussed a variety of sub-issues, then reported their conclusions to the full body. For example, the “membership group” wrangled with suggestions for recruitment and retention of members, benefits of membership, sustained communication, and ways to strengthen the “connection” between members and the organization.
This past weekend was big for Appaloosas as we were the underdogs in the Talimena Handicap Stakes December 1st. The favored Paint horse, Bust N Moves, came in 3rd to Jess Streaking , the winner with a speed index of 100. In second place was Moon Bully with a speed index of 99. Other Appaloosas in the race were Texas Royal Snow who came in 4th and Headlight Scooter who came in 6th with 10 in the field. The total purse was $27,575. In addition to winning, Jess Streaking broke the track record which had been held since 1989 by Mr. Poverty. She covered the 350 yards in 17.604.
AND, on November 30th Appaloosas finished an 870 yard allowance race in 1st, 2nd, and 3rd! Current standings are on the website.
November 8-12, 2007 marked the 10th anniversary of Equine Affaire at the Eastern States Exposition Fairgrounds in West Springfield, Massachusetts. Horse enthusiasts from throughout New England converged on the site by the tens of thousands to learn from the various clinics, demonstrations, and seminars presented by leading professionals in the horse industry. Of course, some folks just came for the shopping, and the vendors at Equine Affaire offered everything from calendars to carriages, feed to fences, and tail bags to trailers! Through the years and with events hosted in Columbus, OH and Pomona, CA, Equine Affaire has blossomed into the premier and most prestigious event in the United States.
Appaloosas were fortunate to be a part of this event and they were represented well. Connecticut Appaloosa Association President Teri Coughlin and volunteers Scott Artioli, Nancy Clem, Casey Coughlin, Sue Cormier, Mikey Curtis, Lynn Endres, Joan Fagan, Kelli Labbe, Amanda Larivee, Denise LoMascolo, Erika LeBaron, Janet Murray, Petra Peyton, Heather Porciello, Kathy Reed, Pam Salois, Kim Siegel, Jodi Schaufus, Lynne Wentworth, Barbara Shepard, Kip Shepard, Dustin Eikenhorst and Sarah Tremblay answered numerous questions about the breed and passed out information provided by the ApHC by the handful.
Kip and Barbara Shepard’s PCE Rockina Star, Brenda Coggin’s Hot Rockin Rickie and Robin Bond’s Some Kinda Treat and RCS Powerstroke were on hand to greet visitors at the breed booth in the Breed Pavilion and in the Horse and Farm exhibitor area in C Barn. These exceptional Appaloosas also participated in clinics with Julie Goodnight, Richard Shrake, and Bob Jeffreys and Suzanne Shepard.
On Saturday at 11:15 the coliseum was packed preceding a clinic by Horse Whisperer Monty Roberts and the Appaloosa breed demonstration was applauded by the packed house. Native American flute music introduced Robin and Some Kinda Treat who honored the heritage of the Appaloosa by representing an Indian Plains woman. Deanna Coggin and All Hands Off Jane strutted their stuff going saddleseat. Prince Charles Enterprise’s trainer Sarah Tremblay presented 3 year-old PCE Rockina Star currently top ten in hunter under saddle. Western pleasure horse Third Rock carried 14 year-old owner Melanie Cormier, and Casey Coughlin reined and stopped RCS Powerstroke to the delight of the crowd.
The Western Massachusetts Appaloosa Association and The Connecticut Appaloosa Association attained a goal set back in 1998 when the Green Mountain Appaloosa Association joined them, the Granite State Appaloosa Association, and the Maine Appaloosa Horse Club to bring all of the Northeast clubs together for the first time to promote the horse we hold so dear. Members of these regional clubs came together and shared the responsibility of manning the breed booth sponsored by the ApHC.
Territory VI Director Chuck McWhirter was pleasantly surprised when he showed his support of the Northeast regional clubs by attending Equine Affaire. McWhirter observed first hand the record breaking crowds and the marketing opportunities available through participation at Equine Affaire. Appaloosa breed coordinators Janice Carroll, Robin Bond, and Teri Coughlin would like to thank Mr. McWhirter for his support and enthusiasm.
The goal of the coordinators for the 2008 event is to produce an “Appaloosa Alley” and fill a whole row of stalls with the region’s most talented and colorful horses. Stalls in the Horse and Farm exhibitor area sell out in June! If you are interested in participating in this extraordinary marketing opportunity please contact your regional club’s Equine Affaire representative.
Appaloosa Horse Club programs, area regional club opportunities, Appaloosa history, nutritional info, and roundtable sessions to discuss breed issues–at the national, regional, and local levels–are among the items on the agenda for a special gathering to be held Feb. 16 in Territory 1, Zone C. The meeting will be held at the Dakota Magic Casino on I-29 at the North Dakota/South Dakota border (Hankinson, ND). Anyone interested in Appaloosas, from any area, is invited to attend; ApHC membership and Territory I, Zone C residence, aren’t required.
The day’s sessions will start at 9 a.m. Information from the roundtable discussions will be compiled and presented to the national ApHC directors in attendance. There is room for 300 to attend, with more space available if needed. Forty rooms are set aside at the casino hotel at a special rate.
For more information, contact Gail Smith at 888-801-1685. or at the email smithshowhorses@aol.com. “We look forward to meeting new Appaloosa enthusiasts as well as already-active members,” says Smith. “This gathering promises to be an excellent networking opportunity, as well as a great source for useful, take-home information.”
The Appaloosa Horse Club is initiating a pilot project involving the purchase of frozen semen to be sent to selected ApHC International Affiliate organizations. The first phase of the program will target Brazil in 2008. We are currently accepting “nominations” from U.S. owners who would like to have their stallions placed on the list which will be used by breeders in Brazil to identify “preferred” stallions.
Funding for the project will come from USDA’s Foreign Agricultural Service through what’s known as the Quality Samples Program. ApHC will pay the stallion owner the equivalent of a breeding fee, plus an agreed upon amount to cover additional expenses relating to processing, handling and shipping to a central location for expedited overseas transport (owners should be checking on requirements for export-ready semen to Brazil).
We anticipate purchasing approximately five – 10 breedings, which will be donated by ApHC to the Appaloosa Horse Club Brazil. The Brazilian organization will then re-sell the semen to its members, either through an auction or other means. We’re asking that the proceeds be used to sponsor a futurity or other activity for ApHC-registered horses. The ultimate goal of the program is to introduce more U.S. genetics and to generate interest in additional breeding to U.S. stallions.
While we await official confirmation of funding, we’d like to get interested stallion owners on our list. Remember, ApHC will not select the stallions for this program. Breeders in Brazil will be provided with the entire list and they will identify selection criteria (bloodlines, disciplines, color preferences, performance/production records, etc.).
If you’d like to add your stallion to the list of “candidates,” call or email Steve Taylor at the ApHC office (208.882.5578 ext. 249 or staylor@appaloosa.com.
The Appaloosa Museum hosted a big crowd at its annual Christmas Open House on Saturday, December 1st. Just guessing, but I’d say at least 200 people stopped by on a day that looked and felt special as snowflakes fluttered and smiles could be seen at every turn.
Actually, the formula for attracting kids and their parents is pretty simple, and it still works really well. Give them some cookies to decorate and/or eat, let them pose for photos atop a gentle Appaloosa, and bring in Santa Claus. It’s a truly reliable recipe.
This young lady remained oblivious to the crowd and displayed considerable skill as she applied icing to her horse-shaped Christmas cookie. The decorating tables became stop #1 in a series of fun things to do at the Appaloosa Museum’s Open House. A seemingly endless stream of wide-eyed children and their dutiful parents got the most out of a visit to the museum headquarters in Moscow, Idaho.
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