We need to say a big “Thank You” to ApHC members from the Dal-Worth regional club who provided an information booth at the World Show. They sell memberships, give driving directions and restaurant ratings, help visitors find shops and services and, in general, put out the welcome mat for everyone at the show.
Here’s the Halloween version of Jean Smith, Dal-Worth club member from Mansfield, Texas. Thanks, Jean and all the DW Appaloosa crew who helped make the 2008 World Show a success.
Probably the toughest job I’ve had all week at the Appaloosa World Show in Fort Worth was being on a panel of judges to evaluate entries in the pumpkin carving contest. Our great supporter, Gary Raak, Twin Cities Feather-Lite, organized the competition and even hauled in the pumpkins.
The unanimous opinion of the three-judge panel is shown here. We’ll include other entries in the photo file you can find on the left-hand menu of the blog.
Sometimes the glory of leadership is a bit obscure. Bill Thiel, ApHC World Sale Committee chair, displays obvious skill at the task of sweeping aisles in the sale stall area at the World Show in Fort Worth this week. We’ll have other news and pics from the sale, but we do know that the overall sale averaged approximately $2,350. That’s not official, but it’s close. This year we added broodmares to the incentive sale and also had some proven performance horses, along with the featured yearlings. Honestly, all things considered, we had a good sale and saw a nice mix of horses and buyers.
One of the high-traffic areas at the Appaloosa World Show is the hallway just outside the Show Office. ApHC news and notices are posted, along with regional club news, horses for sale, trailer-sharing opportunities and ads for just about anything else that can be sold or traded.
Horses aren’t the only attention-getters at the Appaloosa World Show in Fort Worth. This little bulldog puppy got lots of loving and lots of lookers in his/her for-sale pen.
Anyone who has ever been to a horse show knows that dogs sometimes outnumber the other critters. Most of them are cute and charming; some need to be reminded that humans of the local official variety try to enforce rules against canines in the equine arenas. In any case, chances are good that the assorted puppies for sale at the show will find new homes.
The National FFA Organization honored the Appaloosa Horse Club for its outstanding support as a five-year exhibitor at the FFA National Agricultural Career Show, recently held at the Indiana Convention Center. Gary Connolly represented the ApHC at the show and is pictured here receiving the recognition from Bruce Lazarus, Arkansas FFA State Adult President.
The career show is an integral part of this National FFA Convention and highlights career opportunities for agricultural students. Representatives of agribusiness, universities and industry associations met with students throughout the three-day event, held October 22-24.
More than 405 participating exhibitors showcased the diversity of agriculture and its related fields and presented helpful information in a trade show setting at the 43rd annual show. Over 54,000 members of the FFA, their advisors, supporters and guests attended the convention and career show.
FFA 2008 theme, “Step Up, Stand Out,” celebrates student promise, spirit and success. The personal efforts members devote to personal, career and civic achievement engenders hope in local communities and inspires confidence in a new generation and future of agriculture. Visit http://www.ffa.org for more information.
Thanks Gary, for your support of ApHC and for your efforts to make connections with FFA members!
At the 2008 World Championship Appaloosa Show, we’re moving through Non-Pro Geldings this morning. Coming up soon is Non-Pro Most Colorful at Halter, Junior Reining and, later in the day, the always popular Rope Race.
Even for veterans of the horse show circuits, there’s something about an arena full of good horses and anxious exhibitors that creates an air of excitement — and peace. That may sound strange, but I really believe folks get a form of personal nourishment from being wrapped up in the flow of a horse show. For active participants and nearly-idle observers, it’s a culmination of lots of work and sacrifice to finally be at our breed’s most prestigious show. Surrounded by friends and all things equine is a pretty good place to be.
Thought you might like a few examples of stall decorations at the 2008 World Championship Appaloosa Show.
No matter where you go on the grounds of the Will Rogers Memorial Center, horse show folks seem to be talking or texting on cell phones or other devices. Kelly and Kim Hedges are shown here in the midst of some serious looking communication.
I’m only guessing that they weren’t calling each other — but you never know for sure these days. I’ve seen riders in the practice ring calling each other from opposite ends of the arena. No doubt, cell phones certainly do save lots of walking and backtracking at the show.
Another lengthy day at the World Championship Appaloosa Show, but it’s been a good one. We had some quality horses in the sale incentive classes and we had a look at some very nice consignments in tomorrow evening’s sale. Be sure to check the catalog and sign up for viewing and bidding at LiveAuctions.TV.
One of the busy spots at the World Show is the Internet Cafe, sponsored by the folks at MyHorseForSale.com. Not all of us have wireless gadgets, so it’s handy to have the use of computers with Internet access right on the concourse of Justin Arena here in Fort Worth.
Catching up on email is only part of the routine for visitors who stop by. It seems quite a bit of business is being conducted and folks are taking advantage of the opportunity to check up on news from home.
Thanks to Jan and the MyHorseForSale crew!
The first contingent of Appaloosa folks to arrive from Australia for a visit at the 2008 World Show is pictured here. In the back row: Karen Leoncelli, Ev Lagoon, Brian Dedicoat (Jackie Dedicoat is behind him) and Ann Grear; front row: Gillian Allen and Les Allen. Karen is a member of the Australian Appaloosa Association board.
This gang is trying its best to have a good time, but also is very attentive to the action in the show ring. We’ve had some enjoyable chats about common issues and challenges as well as the interesting differences between programs here and there.
We had lots of roping action in the John Justin Arena yesterday and last night. We’ll have more about the Timed Roping Extravaganza later.
We do know that Sherri Mell, of San Antonio, TX, won the Non-Pro Breakaway Roping; Paul Tierney was a busy guy throughout the event and rode a winner,DUN TWEAKER, in Open Judged Tie-Down Roping for Rocking Double J Ranch of Conroe, TX; Corey Braskamp rode a winner, TARIS TAPPIN LENA, in the Senior division for Grant Anderson of Rockford, IL; Ed Millhouse, Stillwater, MN, won the Non-Pro Judged Tie-Down Roping on STATE OF DEE HEART. Ed also won the NP Timed Tie-Down Roping.
Paul Tierney won the Timed Tie-Down Roping on MR BIG BUCKS, owned by Karen Grimm of Minden, NV;
Robbie Schroeder rode DYNAMITE DAYLITE, owned by Julia Young of Marshall, NC, to a win in Open Junior Judged Heading. Sherri Mell won the Non-Pro division on CREDENCE.
Open Senior Judged Heading – Roger Johnson rode the winner, IMAGINE THAT JACK, owned by Michelle Miller of Racine, WI; in the Open Junior, Casey Wilson won on MISS TARI OLENA, owned by Leslie Rinehart of Milton, WI.
Open Senior Judged Heeling — Russell Funk won on DOCZIPS SCARLET LADY, owned by Donna Redmer of Dundee, IL; in the Non-Pro, Sherri Mell rode and won on CREDENCE, owned by Queen Suzanne Koch, Stevinson, CA.
In the Open Heading & Heeling, John Phillips won on DYNAMITE DAYLITE; Jay Stewart of Grand Island, Nebraska, won the Non-Pro on HEZA FANCY MILHOUSE.
Kyra Cruse, Pilot Point, TX, won the Non-Pro Steer Daubing on ZEVIS ROCKETT. Jim Jirkovsky won the winner, STATE OF DEE HEART, owned by Ed Millhouse, in the Open Steer Daubing.
In the midst of other World Show activity, the Non-Pro Advisory Committee got together for a discussion of topics important to the group. We’ve heard from many of you at town hall meetings and through other channels that more work needs to be done on clarifying non-pro eligibility and the structure for earning points to qualify for the World Show.
Other topics included specifics about the class schedule at ApHC shows, ownership rules and regional club shows.
Please — if you have suggestions, recommendations or concerns relating to the ApHC Non-Pro “System” — contact your director or send a note to members of the Non-Pro Committee. We’ll be doing a few one-question-at-a-time blog surveys too, so stay tuned.
As testimony to the cooperative spirit of Apploosa exhibitors, here’s an example of competitors helping each other. Sandy Jirkovsky was willing to share information from the trail course map with another entry. We’re not sure how the whole conversation went, but it’s a heartwarming story of sportsmanship.
For those of you who spent time watching the trail classes yesterday, you may have missed something if you weren’t watching ALL day. It was a marathon, but a positive sign that entries were up in the category.
We are pleased to welcome another contingent of visitors from Australia today. This particular group, which includes officers of the Australian Appaloosa Association, is also scheduled to visit the Appaloosa Museum and ApHC office next week after the World Show.
From left to right, starting with the back row: Sandy and Rob Wallis, Karlita and Kevin Peatey (Kevin is vice president of AAA); middle row: Barb Etcell, Michael Ebbertt, Lyn Skelly and Deborah Ebbertt (Deb is the corporate secretary for AAA); front: John Etcell, president of AAA, and Lindsay Skelly.
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