Logan Stewart brought his mom Ruthie outside to enjoy the youth stick horse rodeo today at the World Championship Youth Show. The rodeo included a stick horse against stick horse barrel race, a rope race and some roping. The kids seemed to have a great time and each participant received a packet and assorted prizes. Thanks to ApHC staff and AYA directors who helped organize the events. And a special thanks to Logan for coming out and offering his support.
We managed to coax a quick smile from Dawna Harwell just after she launched another exhibitor into the show ring. She too is an important part of the “backstage” scene at the World Youth Show. Riding herd on youth exhibitors is a challenging task, but the rewards are pretty obvious.
It’s important to mention that the Appaloosa Youth Association honored Dawna this week as the 2007 Youth Supporter of the Year. Congratulations Dawna and thanks for all you do to encourage, teach and lead the next generation of the ApHC.
Cindy Mergaert, Summerfield, Florida, was busy coaching and prepping some youth exhibitors today as horses and exhibitors get set for the World Championship Appaloosa Youth Show this week in Jackson, Mississippi. I’m told that Cindy and her Diet Pepsi friend are never far apart and that negotiations are pending for some sort of endorsement deal. And we say, “Why not?” If ever a group of professionals could attest to the virtues of caffeine, horse trainers would be prime candidates as marketing material.
The ApHC just received word today that Embry Curry, long time member and manager of the Sheltowee Trail Ride, passed away Wed afternoon June 18th. Additional information is welcome. We’ll post a remembrance very soon.
For those of you in the trail riding community, you know what a devoted Appaloosa guy Embry was. He had a unique and mostly charming style that endeared him to anyone who expressed even the slightest interest in our breed and in riding the trails. He struck me as one of those people you could learn a lot from, either on purpose or by accident. I know we’ll all miss him, but his spirit will be a part of the ApHC Trail Program for a long time.
We received the note below and thought it worthy of dissemination. If a regional club or other group would be interested in supporting Beth, it could certainly be a rewarding endeavor. I mentioned to her that we are in the process of organizing the Appaloosa Foundation, which will be an appropriate channel for this type of request. More details about the Foundation will be available once it’s official.
Hi, my name is Beth Levine. I am an accomplished Para-equestrian rider. A Para-equestrian rider is a rider with some type of physical challenge. I have been on the “long list” of the USA Team for Para-equestrians for some time. One can find out more about this type of riding and competition at USEF web site under the sub-heading of “high-Performance”. Additionally, information can also be found on the USET web site. The Paralympic movement was begun after WWII in an effort to offer soldiers injured in the service of their country more opportunities for rehabilitation as well as a chance to again excel.
In order to be moved to the “short list” of the USA Team I need an appropriate partner to stand out with. Such a horse will need to be competitive at an international level in dressage to Prix St. Georges and would have the opportunity to be an exceptional ambassador for his/her breed! The United States Equestrian Federation recognizes dressage as the fastest growing area of the horse industry and is fueled by the Amateur Owner.
I propose that your association assist me in purchasing a horse that will wonderfully represent your breed. Not only will this offer a yearly chance to internationally promote your breed to the “dressage community” as a representative of Team USA but also we (the horse and I) would be available for other events and FEI competitions to promote your extraordinary breed throughout the year! I look forward to hearing from you!
Thank you,
Beth
“Not only does YOUR breed excel in Dressage-but it is SO wonderful that it can do so with a challenged rider”.
Contact Information
BETH LEVINE
19723 112th Ave. NE
#D203
Bothell WA 98011
Email: bethrides@yahoo.com
Iola Hatley is this year’s inductee into the Appaloosa Hall of Fame. We made it semi-official this past weekend in a presentation at the museum. A video and announcement will also be included at the awards banquet in Jackson during the National Show. Since Iola doesn’t plan on making the trip, it seemed like a good idea to have a bit of ceremony for her and give local folks the chance to share the moment.
Mr. Appaloosa, George Hatley, was obviously pleased at the recognition given to the best office manager he ever had. Several Museum board members were also in attendance and added their congratulations. 
Iola received a plaque, a bouquet of roses, a lifetime membership jacket and embossed membership card. She expressed genuine appreciation for the Hall of Fame honor and seemed especially glad that she no longer needs to borrow George’s lifetime member jacket.
Juli Thorson offered a testimonial tribute and recounted her early days at the Appaloosa Horse Club which involved some serious “orientation” and training from Iola. For more than 30 years, Iola captained the office staff and, according to Juli, made sure everyone knew the full scope of operations and could handle questions on everything from registration to trail rides.
We need to shine the Appaloosa spotlight on some true veterans of the Apache Land Trail Ride. These folks have been involved from the beginning and share the distinction of participating in all 25 rides! Their brand of dedication is humbling and certainly worthy of our gratitude and congratulations.
Left to right: Al Maxey, Colorado; Cathy Benoit, Florida; Dr. John Corpolongo, Oklahoma - official trail doctor on this and all other ApHC-sponsored rides; Judy Haas, Arizona; Martha Howard and Mike Howard, Texas - Mike is chief scout, emcee, cheerleader, etc.
As you can guess, these people are long-time promoters of the Appaloosa breed and find numerous ways to support the efforts of the Club. “Thank you” doesn’t quite do the trick, but it’s a start.
An artist of great renown, Orren Mixer was internationally recognized for his ability to paint the Western stock horse. The Arcadia, Oklahoma, artist has painted Appaloosa icons Chief of Four Mile, King Plaudit, and Straw Bug, as well as, Mexican actor Vincente Fernandez on a black blanketed Appaloosa stallion. After enlisting in the Navy, Orren was sent to Chicago to illustrate training manuals. It was there that he discovered the value of his paintings when his wife, Evelyn, took a few paintings to a local department store where two sold the very first night. In addition to painting, Orren bred Appaloosas, including Tom Mixer, a 1982 gelding who won $65,605.51 during his race career, including victories in the summer and Worldwide Futurities in 1984 and the Cricket Bars Maturity in 1985.
From the American Quarter Horse Journal, April 30, 2008 –
Mixer was born in Oklahoma City in 1920 to Florence Motter and Orren Marion Mixer Sr. After attending public schools, he graduated from Central High School and through the efforts of his high school art teacher, Grace Chadwick, he obtained a scholarship to attend the Kansas City Art Institute from 1938-40.
Mixer worked in graphic arts in New York, Oklahoma City, and Fort Worth, Texas, before moving to San Diego to work in an aircraft manufacturing plant. He returned to Fort Worth in 1943 and joined the US Navy. Stationed in Chicago, he was a visual aids graphic artist.
In his personal time, Mixer painted Western scenes, and his first sales came through a Chicago sporting goods store. Discharged from the service in 1946, he brought his wife, Evelyn Leonard, whom he’d married in 1941, back to Oklahoma, where he built a house and studio near Arcadia/Edmond.
Mixer became a well-known local Western artist during the 1950s and 1960s. Livestock, particularly horses, became his specialty, and his work graced the covers of Western Horseman, Quarter Horse Journal, Cattleman, and Oklahoma Today. In 1968, the American Quarter Horse Association commissioned Mixer to paint “the ideal American Quarter Horse,” and six other breed associations followed suit. He depicted the ideal Pinto, Paint, Palomino, Appaloosa, Buckskin, and Pony of the Americas.
Briefly retired during the 1980s, Mixer resumed his artistic productions in the mid-1990s, still working from a studio near Arcadia.
Mixer was inducted in the AQHA Hall of Fame in 1993 (and the Appaloosa Hall of Fame in 1998).
Visitation
Matthews Funeral Home
601 S Kelly
Edmond, OK 73003
(405) 341-2787
Services Monday May 5 at 2:00 pm
Edmond’s First Baptist Church
1300 Southeast 33rd Street
Edmond, OK 73013
(405) 341-0253
In Lieu of Flowers please send donations to
Oklahoma Baptist Homes for Children
Boys Ranch Town
5100 SE 33rd
Edmond, OK 73013
Phone: (405) 341-3606
Fax: (405) 348-3740
Cards may be sent to
Evelyn Mixer
PO Box 145
Arcadia, OK. 73007-0145
________________________________________
The Appaloosa Horse Club is proud to announce that Iola Hatley has earned the distinguished honor of being inducted into the ApHC Hall of Fame! Iola joins her husband, George “Mr. Appaloosa”, in the prestigious ApHC Hall of Fame.
We couldn’t resist using this photo from the archives. It’s from the 1950’s and serves as powerful evidence of commitment — to George and the Appaloosa horse (and we assume in that order).
Shortly after World War II, Claude Thompson, fouder of the ApHC in 1938, decided to engage the services of George as Executive Secretary. Somewhere around that time, Iola was enlisted to help George — and the Appaloosa Horse Club — and she’s been at both jobs ever since!
She officially became a member in 1947 and still posts her annual dues. Together, George and Iola bred and owned outstanding Appaloosas, including ApHC Racing Hall of Fame inductee, Apache Double.
Iola’s commitment to the breed is unfailing–she served as the ApHC Secretary for 31 years, helped form the Appaloosa museum, was the driving force behind the inception of Appaloosa Racing and has many other accomplishments and achievements within the breed to her credit.
Iola is an asset to the ApHC and the Appaloosa breed, and we are thrilled to honor her in the ApHC Hall of Fame!
During the weekend of February 8, 2008, the Oklahoma Horse Fair, with representatives from both coasts and both borders came to Duncan, OK. Ranch horse and barrel racing events as well as a new trail horse competition entertained the spectators and featured outstanding prizes.
Erica Halterman, a 14 year old who lives in Duncan, OK riding an 8 year old, chestnut Appaloosa mare named Mama’s Design (aka Bridget) negotiated the obstacles better than 20 other competitors and took home a new Titan 2 horse slant trailer with tack room, lettered “The 2008 Champion Trail Horse of Oklahoma”.
The trailer was awarded by Gary Loman, producer of the Oklahoma Horse Fair. Erica competed against Paints, Arabians, and Quarter horses in a field of adults including her Dad, Martin Halterman on the only other Appaloosa, Blazin Hot Sister, a 6 year old chestnut mare.
The course involved leading the horse into the arena, mounting up, loping a figure eight with flying lead change, a gate, a ditch and dirt hill that had to be crossed, putting on/ taking off a rain slicker, an elevated bridge leading to a pen of goats that had to be passed, a walk over logs( real tree trunks), mailbox, and a back through L. “We knew that the goats would probably be there, so about a month ago we got a goat named Mickey, and our horses just love him”, said Valerie Halterman, Erica’s Mom. Thejudges also gave 1-5 additional points for the 5 fastest times, but Erica and Mama’s Design didn’t worry about the clock…Trail is not a speed event.
Friday night during a problem horse clinic, clinician Kerry Kuhn (who was one of the judges) talked about how he judged the mount of each trail horse…he was looking for a quiet horse that stood perfectly still until the rider was ready to go – Erica adjusted a stirrup, tucked in her shirt, rocked the saddle and then told Bridget by picking up the reins – “let’s go”. Out of a total of 200 points, Erica and Bridget scored 186.
They just did what they practice all the time at home and what the judge told them to do…….”show me that you have control of the horse and that you are working together as a team”.
With Bridget, Erica is the current 12-14 Age Division State of Oklahoma 4H Trail Champion, placed 15th in the Sr. Open Trail Class at the 2007 Appaloosa World’s in Ft. Worth, and was awarded the 2006 and 2007 “Horse of the Year” from the Sooner Appaloosa Club. Our family belongs to the Oklahoma Appaloosa Horse Club where both she and Martin are directors, the Sooner Appaloosa Horse Club, and this year we will belong and attend shows on the DalWorth circuit also. Submitted by Gerry Lukacik.
We received a note that Ted Orr, Ellisville, Missouri, passed away February 15th. Ted was a well-known horseman who trained and showed for Russell Bliss in the 1960’s through the 1980’s.
Veteran Appaloosa youth horse Pistol Step K has been chosen to appear as the “We’d Love to Own” horse in Horse & Rider magazine’s April 2008 issue. As such, he’ll be seen by some 180,000 readers, who’ll also learn about his background and the traits that make him special. In the Jim Bortvedt photo selected by Horse & Rider, he’s ridden bareback by Sarah Hanna of St. Helens, Oregon.
Pistol Step K, also known as Joe, is a 1993 blanketed dun gelding by Royal Pistol K, and out of Precious Lady D, by Pok-A-Dan. Appaloosa Journal readers may recognize him as one of the horses in the ApHC’s “Breed of Choice” ad campaign. He’s currently owned by Tracy Rampone of McMinnville, Oregon.
Trained by Tim and Lori Larsen, longtime Appaloosa pros also of St. Helens, Joe’s amassed over 300 ApHC points in nine events. Just last year, he took Jamie Hanna to the reserve national title in novice youth hunt seat equitation. He’s been a member of the Larsens’ Silver Oaks Farm barn for a dozen years, ever since the couple saw him in an Appaloosa reining futurity at the World Show and brought him home to become a youth mount.
Lori describes Joe as “one of the coolest horses I’ve ever had–one of the few who comes to play the game every day, without fail.”
The ApHC is pleased and proud to have Pistol Step K chosen as one of only 12 horses a year to star in Horse & Rider’s “We’d Love to Own” feature. Another Appaloosa, Fairly Flashy, appeared in the January 2008 issue.
Submitted by Juli Thorson
At least 44 horses were killed this past weekend in a barn fire that struck the stables of Eddie Willis, a racehorse trainer and ApHC member in Caney, Oklahoma. Of four horses that initially survived the fire, two have already been put down due to complications. One two-year-old that did survive is Downtown Bull, owned by Victoria Ennis. However, Victoria lost a promising two-year-old stallion, Bold Lover (photo), who was entered in this year’s Graham Futurity. See Victoria’s note about Bold Lover below.
Katie and Steve Neal, also Appaloosa race breeders, have reportedly lost a horse in the fire. We’re waiting for word on a horse owned by John Diediker which was in training at the facility.The cause of the fire was not immediately known, though faulty wiring or an unattended space heater are being suspected.
The Appaloosa Horse Club family expresses our deep sorrow and sympathy to all who lost horses in this tragic fire. Our thoughts and prayers are with them.
In memory of “Bold Lover”
Bold Lover, aka “Wilbur,” our two-year-old in his second month of race training died in a fire at the Willis racing facility the night of January 19. He and 43 other horses perished in the blaze which burned too fast and furiously to save them.
“Wilbur” was a beautiful stallion by I Love Willie and out of Supreme Champion producer Zevi Puddin. Just beginning his career, he was paid up in the Graham Futurity and the Strike It Rich Stallion Futurity to be run later this year. His full brother “Ibelieveicanfly” was the Supreme Champion two-year-old in 2004. As a yearling, Wilbur did get to show at the 07 World, placing in the top ten for Hunter in Hand Yearling Stallions with handler Dawna Harwell.
We had many hopes for him as a successful race horse, a top hunter/jumper, then breeding stallion. But it just wasn’t meant to be.
Saint Francis of Assisi is the Patron Saint of the animals. We are praying to him asking that he keep Wilbur and all the other horses lost in the fire securely with him in horse heaven.
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!
*** Photo by Jim Davis, www.jimdavisphoto.com
It was a remarkable victory for Jack Hennig and High Jo Lena in the FRCHA (Florida Reined Cow Horse Association) Bridle Spectacular show on September 8 and 9th, 2007 in Sarasota, Florida. Jack and High Jo Lena AKA Wysi Wyg placed first in the Open Bridle on Saturday and second in the Open Bridle class on Sunday and third in the Bridle Spectacular. The Bridle Spectacular included Cutting, Reining and Working Cowhorse. “This was a tough competition”, said Jack, who competed against two NRCHA World Champions. “Her cow work was exceptional on both days, and she was really strong down the fence”.
This was not Jack and Wysi’s first win, back in October of 2006, Jack and Wysi placed first in the FRCHA Bridle Spectacular and together they have won many NRCHA events and ApHC World and National Championships in Reining, Working Cowhorse, Roping and Games.
Wysi Wyg (pronounced Wizzy Wig) stands for “What you see is what you get”; she was named so by her breeder Bill Cookshaw of Cee Arr Appaloosas in Canada when, upon seeing her as a foal for the first time remarked, “Well, what you see is what you get!”, as he looked down and saw a colorless all black filly with one white foot. Now the once colorless filly is loaded to the brim with color, says Justin. She is now a beautiful, loud blue roan mare with one white foot.
It does not come as much of a surprise to know that Wysi Wyg is descended from the legendary hall of fame stallion High Sign who also excelled in multiple events under Jack. Wysi was sired by Canadian Superhorse High Sign Nugget and is out of a double-bred Ima Doc O’Lena mare, Im Jessalena owned by Bill Cookshaw. The Bowles family (owners of Bowles Ranch), purchased Wysi Wyg in 2003 from Bill as a three year old. “After watching a video of the mare, we knew she would be a perfect match for Justin, she had such a great way of moving” said Erica. Shortly after purchasing Wysi, the Bowles went to Jack to train both Wysi and Justin. “Jack has always been such an inspiration to me, ever since I was a young boy and I first saw him at a show aboard High Sign” said Justin. Justin has shown High Jo Lena in the FRCHA starting in Green I and has worked his way up through the Green Program and is now showing down the fence in the Non Pro Bridle. In 2006, Justin and Wysi won the Non Pro Working Cow Horse at the ApHC National Show. This was Justin’s first time competing at the Nationals. “Jack’s training and instruction were instrumental to Justin and Wysi’s success.”, said Erica.
In 2004, the Bowles Family purchased High Paddy O’lena, Wysi’s younger brother. A 2001 Red Leopard Stallion, High Paddy O’lena is following in the “hoofprints” of his older sister. Wysi has set a high bar for Rebel to follow, but we have confidence in him. He is doing really well commented Erica. “Both horses are under the careful guidance of Jack. Jack is truly one of the greatest horsemen; it has been an honor to ride with him. If I had to describe Jack in three words, it would be humble, honest and driven. We are really proud of his many accomplishments and proud to be his students”.
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