The Equestfest group of 10 riders for the performance includes: Paul Foxvog, Leslie Foxvog, Debbie Herzman, Danie Foxvog, Diane Dodd, Christy Wood, Angila Gallagher, Steve Wood, CJ Brooks and Joe Brooks (two other members of the parade group, Evon Owens and Stephanie Rawley, are unable to participate in the Equestfest but will be with the group on Colorado Blvd for the parade on January 2, 2012). Calizona is ready to present the Appaloosa with beautiful stall decorations and ApHC Table top and materials display. Again, watch for the Equestfest performance on RFD-TV 12:00 noon Pacific Time, earlier for Standard/Central time.

Calizona ApHC is extremely excited to put the Appaloosa on display to all throughout this fun day!

Attached are a couple of pictures of visitors to the booth…Jim Jirkovsky and Chet Bennett in one and Danny and Dorine Bennett in the other.

(Thanks Dorine)

Watch the second ten finalists as they compete to earn your vote and their share of the $100,00 in prize money! America’s Favorite Trail Horse will air at 8pm EST on HRTV DISH channel 404. Every episode will be shown FREE on www.actha.tv simultaneously at 8pm EST. Voting starts as soon as the episode is over at 9pm EST and will be open for 48 hours per episode. If you missed any of the episodes, you can still watch it at www.actha.tv

How to VOTE:

Ten horse are showcased in each of the 10 episodes, with one horse chosen
as a winner of each $5000 episode. The 10 winning horses then proceed to
the final round where 3 grand prize winners will be awarded a total of
$50,000. Only one vote per email address per episode and voting starts
after each Tuesday night episode at 8pm EST.

Last week’s winner was Marjorie Chema riding Emmy Lee! (1/2 Spanish Arab
1/2 Oldenburg)

Every Vote counts! Pass the word! Tell us your Favorite!

www.actha.us

ApHC member George Ehmer (you may recall) is a contestant, so be sure to watch for and vote for George and Joker!

How to Watch America’s Favorite Trail Horse…
TV: Channel 404 on HRTV on the Dish Network
ACTHA.TV Online: www.actha.tv FREE

When to tune in…
Tuesday – 8pm EST/ 5pm PST
Tuesday – Same episode repeats 3 hrs later 11pm EST/8 pm PST
When scheduling permits: Repeats Sunday 10am EST/7am PST

How to vote for your favorite trail horse…
Ten horses are showcased in each of the 10 episodes, with one horse chosen as the winner of each $5000 episode. The 10 winning horses then proceed to the final round where 3 grand prize winners will be awarded a total of $50,000. Only one vote per email address per episode and voting starts after each Tuesday night episode at 8pm EST. Voting is open for 48 hours. You can also REVIEW competitors by watching episodes at www.actha.tv

Thought you might be interested in meeting “Wolf” (the Appy) who has walked (both packing and being ridden) from Quoddy Point State Park in Maine to Grayland, WA — a 4-year, 4400 mile trip, 20 miles a day! The trip was made in four laps, side-stepping bad weather each year to return home/beginning the next year, as weather allowed, at the point left off the previous year.

My attached photo (the 3 horses and 2 riders) appeared in the Chehalis, WA “Chronicle” on August 18, 2011. Wolf is the only horse of the three pictured who made the entire trip. The blurb which was published with the photo explains all.

Wolf left Maine June 16, 2007 and arrived at the Pacific Ocean on August 21, 2011. Luckily the two long riders did not experience any of Washington’s famous rain while crossing the state. The rain started the day after they completed their journey.

Wolf belongs to Deb Yavorski, who had a life-dream to ride across the USA. She started out with two horses. Her “non-Appy” Walker proved to be too traffic shy to be safe and she next she bought “Mercury”, her Arab. Deb York joined Yavorski in Montana for the final leg of the trip. She borrowed the QH, “Chiquatah”. The two horsewomen met years earlier at a stable where Yavorski worked and York boarded her horse. Both women are from New York. York rode to honor her mother who passed away in 2007 from leukemia. She says she wanted to do something “extraordinary” before she passed from life (and the trip definitely qualifies in that category).

Deb Yavorski is a member of the Long Riders Guild. She plans to write a book about the trip across the country. I came away from several visits with the two women with the idea that no matter what anyone may say, America is a wonderful place – both women told me that people have been “AMAZING”! Additionally, both women firmly believe that ‘God will provide’ and have many stories to illustrate their belief.

As of today, the women have rented a car and plan to see the Olympia coast beach. (Their horses are being boarded and are resting up while the two long riders see some country and visit). Yesterday plans were being made to have a horse hauler pick up the horses for transport back to New York. The QH was loaned to York and is going back to his pasture in Montana and will work on a pack-string. York plans to get hay in as soon as she gets home and get some painting done around the place. Just business as usual! She is thinking about riding the Pacific Crest Trail in two years. Deb York retired from a job as a cable line woman in 2007; Deb Yavorski will return to her two jobs — she works for an inventory company and subs for the post office. Deb Yavorski is 49; Deb York is 57.

The 2012 Rose Parade in Pasadena, California is themed “Just Imagine” and will be held Monday, January 2 (not January 1st in a tradition every seven or so years to not hold the parade on a Sunday). The CZ group consists of 12 mounted riders dressed in the traditions of the Nez Perce and northern plateau and plains region heritage costume and regalia.

To quote the opening on their application, “Just Imagine … an animal so deeply embedded in the way of life of one culture that it almost became lost but over time, developed and changed because of the hearts and desires of a second people. Close your eyes and let your imagination take hold. Listen for the faint sound of hooves and see in the distance images of spotted horses, manes and tails floating on the breeze, as they run carefree across the vast open landscape of the western northern plains. Listen more closely as the air is filled with the faint sweet sound of tingling bells and cones as their music joins the sound of hooves on the hard ground growing ever closer. Open your eyes to see that sometimes what is just imagined … has come to life! Look for the Calizona Appaloosa Horse Club equestrian group to follow in the footsteps of their forefathers in the time honored horse parade tradition to celebrate in the Tournament of Rose Parade and promote the spirit of the Appaloosa Horse with the thousands of Appaloosa owners that enjoy the horse today.

On June 10-11, Canada’s Outdoor Equine Expo presented the Extreme Cowboy Race and Craig for all who wished to try something just a little different. A sucker for a challenge, I bit and hauled Ima Patriotic Doc to give this YouTube sensation a try. Ima Patriotic Doc is an Appaloosa stallion that has earned 17 National titles, World Show placings and countless high-point awards in his “show pen” career. Cutting, sidesaddle, ranch trail and roping are all within our normal grasp of events, but this was a test beyond our expectations. As Craig explains, speed, horsemandship and the ability to “ride smart” are required to get around this program. The course included jumps, log gates, bridges, ground ties, roll backs, sliding stops, lead changes and a host of other demands, with a need for speed and entertainment.

Our log gate rolled off, jumping barrels we normally turn was a bit different, a single stride lope over a bridge is not a show norm and me on my hands and knees trying to wiggle through a straw tunnel seemed to please the crowd. “Smoke” and I saved the best to near last, with me the guy afraid of height scrambling up a 10′ ladder, egging on the crowd and Smoke throwing down huge stops and rollbacks, much to the delight of everyone. After the times were reviewed, judges’ score sheets tallied and the check endorsed, Ima Patriotic Doc and I were named Reserve Extreme Cowboy Race Champions and awarded a nice big ole check for $1,000!

So, it’s perfectly legal, a ton of fun, about the best entertainment going and just as easy as swinging your leg over your horse’s back to have a good time. Extreme Cowboy Racing is a “Smart Riders” way to bring fun times and fresh faces to horse related events.

http://usefnetwork.com/2011KYCupReining/

$25,000 added money; held at the end of the Five Star Reining competition, CRI5* (Concours de Reining International), the sport’s highest level and held concurrently with the Rolex Three Day Event.
12 competitors including David O’Conner; Totally packed house!
He did the same routine he won App Worlds with – Desparado.

Way to go George…and Joker!