Dee Cole sportsmanship, Sarah Novak

Congratulations to Sarah Novak of McDonough, Georgia who received the coveted Dee Cole memorial sportsmanship award for 2010.

This annual award honors the youth who best exemplifies the qualities of kindness, friendliness, willingness and high levels of participation during the show, and demonstrates outstanding sportsmanship both in and out of the arena. Though the winner is determined by a panel of secret judges, the candidates are nominated by their peers.

Youth Supporter Award

Annually since 2000, the Appaloosa Youth Association recognizes people who are especially supportive of youths.

The honorees for 2010 are Sandy and Jim Jirkovsky of Kearney, Nebraska. They received a glass plaque in appreciation of their continued support and dedication at the Youth World Show in addition to the National and World Shows, which has helped strengthen and develop our growing group of AYA members. Congratulations and thank you to Sandy and Jim for giving tirelessly of themselves to support the AYA.

Full-text version printed in the September 2010 issue of Appaloosa Journal.
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The Champions!

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The storm

One minute it was hot and humid, the next minute it was a lake. It happened so fast not everyone had time to get to higher ground. Heather Runyon was thankfully rescued by John Tsihlis.

Mary Lou Minic

Pillar of the breed and familiar face in the ApHC information booth at every National and World show, Mary Lou Minic added a special touch of congratulations in honor of her late husband, industry icon George Minic, while presenting the awards and a special trophy in the Most Colorful at Halter class.

Full-text version printed in the September 2010 issue of Appaloosa Journal.
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The Champions!

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A horse trader by the name of Jack Lawrence called me and said, “I got a Palouse horse.” He went on to describe a wild horse the Indian boys had caught out near Nevada and northern Arizona and he bought in New Mexico. I told him that wasn’t what I wanted and he said it wouldn’t cost anything to come out and look. So I went out on a cool day to Fredericksburg, Texas to look at the horse. He was a stout, chocolate brown with white blanket and a few brown spots, with a blaze face and lightening on his legs. Jack had a school teacher riding him around in an English saddle. He was doing a very distinctive little lope that wasn’t quite a canter or a trot. Later I found out it was called a “Nez Perce Shuffle.” I said I wasn’t interested and he convinced me to get on. Sure enough, the shuffle was smooth. But, I know how to work with horse traders so I told him “no, thank you” and got off. He tried to convince me some more and I said, “ Jack, he’s a pretty good horse. What do you want for him?” and he said $900. I said “forget it” and walked to my car and opened the door. He said “well hold on a second, what will you give me for him?” I said I couldn’t spend more than $500 and he said no, so I put my foot in the car to put a little pressure on. He said how about $750 and I said, “I’ll tell you what, I’ll give you $600 cash right now or the deal is off.” He agreed and I went home to LBJ Ranch and borrowed a trailer to come get “Chief.”

The next time the president was down to ride he said, “what the hell is that?” and I said “it’s a Palouse horse.” The president got on Lady B and tried to out walk Chief, but he got into his shuffle and stayed right with her. The president even tried to push her harder, but no matter what, Chief kept up.

In 1971 I was given a trail riders magazine and it talked about the Chief Joseph Trail Ride. There was a number and I called and spoke with George Hatley himself. Of course, I didn’t know who he was, but he asked about Chief and said he would send me some papers to fill out and I was to take pictures of Chief and send it all back. These were for the Brown-Paper Registration (no showing or breeding, just riding). But, I wasn’t able to go that year.

When you work in the Secret Service you don’t get to just take time off. But in 1973 President Johnson passed away and I was reassigned to Mrs. Johnson. In 1974 I mentioned the ride to Mrs. Johnson and she said to take my wife, Martha, and go. And that got me hooked. I have been on 34 Chief Joseph Trail Rides and 25 Apache Land Trail Rides. President Johnson generously left me 15 acres on LBJ Ranch and I’ve been breeding and riding Appaloosas there ever since. I rode the same Appaloosa, Viva, for 13 years, just picked up my new Appaloosa, Tequila, and we have three Appaloosa colts on the ranch this year.

Some stirring stories from Apache Land Rides

This year, we arrived on Friday and there was snow still on the ground and wind out of the North that was cold. I thought it was going to be another cold year, but by Sunday the temperature rose in the days, though still colder at night.

The Apache Land is always through some beautiful country. This year we rode through what’s known as “Smugglers Gulch” and saw border patrol everywhere down in the gullies. That’s where the cartel attempts to smuggle dope into Arizona and illegal aliens try to sneak in. They go down into the gullies where the border patrol can only get them on horseback.

We also rode through the mining areas. They do strip mining, which entails filling a bucket with dirt and wetting it down to see if there is any gold. People still do it there and we saw a few. Also, there were lots of flowers in bloom. Lupine, or as we call it in Texas Blue Vines, dwarf daisies, all kinds of white flowers and purple flowers. There were lots of good places to have lunch and this peak where you could see both states, New Mexico and Arizona. The cook was excellent and went out of her way to make something special every meal, not just BBQ and more BBQ.

We’ve also ridden in New Mexico several times and through Fort Wind Gate Radar site on the Continental Divide. Before and during WWII the radar site was used to make sure no enemies were flying into the US.

We’ve ridden through the Wild Bill Hillock ranch. Apaches actually lived in these areas. We went through where Cochise had a strong hold and I can tell why it was a stronghold. You couldn’t get in there unless you were a very good horseman; I can see how they never caught him. A few years ago we also rode through were Geronimo came across and surrendered.

The history of these rides is great and inspiring, especially the Chief Joseph. I hope we get more and more people on them.
Editor’s note: to learn more about the history of the Appaloosa and ApHC sponsored trail rides please visit www.appaloosamuseum.org and www.appaloosa.com.

Full-text version printed in the August 2010 issue of Appaloosa Journal.
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The chemistry

Vinegar is an acid, a weak acetic acid, and has the ability to break down salt-based stains. Like sweat. It has deodorizing properties, but since it has its own strong smell, it takes quite a rinsing. Baking soda, when mixed with vinegar, has a foaming/fizzing effect that loosens grime. Remember that volcano in the grade school science fair? Ammonia and Castile soap are both alkaline, meaning that they have the ability to break down greasy compounds and work more like detergent cleansers. None of these is a disinfectant or anti-microbial, but for good, gentle and safe everyday cleaning, they’re a powerhouse. However, elbow grease is required.

Saddle pad, sheets, blankets and rope girths

1 c white vinegar
1 c baking soda
1 c washing soda
¼ c Castile soap
5 drops lemon essential oil
5 drops orange essential oil
(Citrus scents stick around and have bug-deterrent properties)

I like a big, clear plastic container with a snap down lid to mix and store this detergent. Put the Castile soap in first, then the washing soda, then the baking soda. Add the vinegar slowly and a little at a time (remember the volcano?), and stir constantly. The whole concoction will foam up, then dry into a thick powder. Break up lumps as much as you can, and place the powder somewhere to dry.

For sheets and blankets that can be machine washed, use about a half cup of detergent mixture. If you can’t stand the tiny hint of vinegar, send items through another rinse cycle.

For saddle blankets, saddle pads, and other bulky items, mix one cup of detergent mixture to about 5 gallons of water, and soak the item(s) through. To create a lather, you’ll need to apply some elbow grease by rubbing the pad on itself, or on an old-fashioned washing board if the item is sturdy enough. Spray items with an outside hose using a jet nozzle, then air dry. If the blanket or pad is really soiled, you can boost this detergent with a half a cup of borax. Make sure, of course, that the item is fully dry before use—two days drying time should cut it.

Sometimes the simplest ingredients are still the best. Affordable, proven, household compounds can work effectively, if not better than some of the most expensive wonder products—and best of all, they’re safe for the environment, safe for you, and most importantly safe for your Appaloosa.

Laurie began drawing intensely at age 4 and never stopped. For her, art has been a lifelong endeavor of continual practice and application.

“If you want to succeed at sports you practice, practice, practice,” Laurie says. “If you want to succeed with art you paint, draw, paint, draw, paint, draw—daily.”

Laurie earned a commercial art degree from Stephen F. Austin State University, and took most of her course work from University of Texas at Arlington. After finishing her degree, Laurie worked for eight years as head artist for an advertising agency. She has taught art for more than 27 years, teaching both out of her studio and in public and private schools; and she’s done workshops as well. She also teaches piano, guitar and, occasionally, harp.

Full-text version printed in the February 2010 issue of Appaloosa Journal.
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AYA President

Josh says, “AYA has taught me about having responsibility and being flexible and working with people.” As the AYA President he has set high standards for himself, “I think we can attract more youth by advertising that this is a family activity. I will attempt to educate other youths and their parents on the versatility, reliability, durability and elegance of the Appaloosa horse.

Mary Beth Blake

AYA Vice President

When choosing to run for Vice President of AYA, Mary Beth decided she wanted to be more involved and to help educate more children about Appaloosas. She feels it is her duty to enhance and help the AYA in every way that she can. “It gives me a responsibility that is very important.”

Katie Corbett

AYA Secretary

Katie thinks youth participation is a must to carry on the industry. She advises other youths to get involved. “You make so many friends and learn lessons that help you later in life.” In fact, Katie believes that one of the most valuable things AYA has taught her is true friendship. “I’ve made so many friends through AYA that I’ll probably have for the rest of my life.” Next, she encourages more participation in open shows to showcase the Appaloosa breed.

Jamie Clark

AYA Treasurer

Jamie believes if someone would like to get involved with Appaloosas the best thing to do is find an Appaloosa owner mentor, “Someone that would be able to help you find the right horse for your needs and ability.” Also, Jamie stresses setting goals. “Work hard at reaching your goals and don’t give up. If you need help reaching those goals, just ask.”

Full-text version printed in the July 2010 issue of Appaloosa Journal.
To receive an info-packed Appaloosa Journal each month, subscribe now!

Full-text version printed in the July 2010 issue of Appaloosa Journal.
To receive an info-packed Appaloosa Journal each month, subscribe now!

Antelope Island’s harsh landscape sets the stage for the roundup. Rugged and raw, the island is like a mountain jutting up out of Utah’s Great Salt Lake. Consisting of rock, sparse pale grasses and deep ravines, Antelope Island is also home to one of the largest and oldest publicly owned bison herds in the United States.

The original herd, brought to the island in February of 1893 by William Glassman and John Dooly, consisted of a mere 12 head. Now, each fall, the 600 bison are rounded up by horseback and helicopter. Then, state park employees and veterinarians evaluate the herd’s overall health, new bison are permanently identified, and all are vaccinated. In an effort to prevent overpopulation and overgrazing of the island, approximately 200 bison are selected for sale at public auction each year. Proceeds sustain the program, funding operating costs, habitat improvement projects, research and data collection, and maintenance of the corrals.

At one time helicopters rounded up the herd, but the parks department determined that mounted wranglers caused less stress to the bison. Open to the public, riders from around the nation now lend a hand at this spectacular event. For many, it is a once in a lifetime opportunity.

This past year, Kristen Reiter of Oak Harbor, Washington, and longtime friend and Antelope Island Mounted Patrol member, Beth Wendel of Farmington, Utah, were among these volunteers. The two became friends on the Chief Joseph Trail Ride several years prior, and after hearing Beth’s tales of the great bison roundup, Kristen decided to join her for the 2009 adventure.

“Beth attended last year’s Chief Joseph Trail Ride with several friends from Utah, all of whom have enjoyed adventures on the roundup,” Kristen recalls. “It’s one thing for one person to tell you that you must ride at this event. It’s an entirely other thing to have a group of women surrounding you at the campsite, exclaiming that you absolutely must come!”

Then Beth sweetened the deal a bit further, offering the use of one of her horses so that Kristen could simply fly in, join Beth, and they could camp and ride together.

“When I thought about it, it was a no brainer,” Kristen says. “I’d been offered a mount, a cozy bed and a good friend with whom to share a campfire.”
By Robin Hendrickson

Full-text version printed in the February 2010 issue of Appaloosa Journal.
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We heard from several ApHC members who had seen the video online and wondered about the equine participants. Mostly there was basic pride in the fact that “one of ours” had appeared in such a high profile production.

As often happens, the big picture is made possible by a fascinating convergence of accidental circumstances and winding-road personal journeys. Take the example of Don Charest, a familiar face at Appaloosa shows. The capable trainer has guided youth exhibitors through the rigors of achieving ultimate success and he has developed world and national champion horses. At the same time, he’s been cultivating his voice and pursuing a musical career.

After working for three years with Kip and Barbara Shepard in Connecticut, Don took a deep breath and headed to the nation’s music capital to see what direction his passion for singing might take. “I was convinced that I needed to hang up my spurs and try the music path full time,” Don says.

So, the Nashville scene is where you’ll find him these days. Though born and raised in Maine, he apparently has a country song in his head that goes something like this – do your best at what you enjoy and believe in; things will work out the way they are supposed to.

As with many artists working their way up the ladder in Nashville, he took whatever jobs he could find while singing at every opportunity. There was also a core group of friends and former customers who kept “nagging” at Don to stay connected with horses. He notes that “several of those people kept calling and pretty soon I had 12 horses to train!”

ApHC exhibitors may remember that Don performed the National Anthem at the 2007 World Show in Fort Worth. Most notably, he hit the notes and showed his professionalism as the sound system went blinky during the song. To date, Don has an album to his credit and continues to seek the best combination of production and promotional support for his career.

In the meantime, he’s training horses and riders from a base at the Lazy J Farm near Gallatin, Tennessee. Joni Isaacson, who has been a valuable and helpful part of Don’s success, owns the property.

“My philosophy is pretty simple,” Don says. “Look at each horse as an individual and they’ll let you know what they can do and do well.”

One of his customers is Dennis Skelly, a resident of Chapel Hill, Tennessee and the proud owner of Blazin Zipper, better known as “Dawson.” In case you were wondering when we’d get to the point, Dawson is one of the featured equines in the “Cowgirls” video. But, you also need to know about Dennis. He came to the Appaloosa community in a way that has become a pleasantly familiar story. The good news for us is that Appaloosa fever has a way of finding really good hosts and carriers.
A curiosity about horses had been dormant for a few years as he followed his son Ben’s promising baseball career and spent most of his “leisure” time attending games. After an unfortunate elbow injury, both Skellys were compelled to find other pastimes and challenges.

For Dennis, the new direction led him to a horse show where some friends were exhibiting. He met a few other folks, including Charest, and succumbed more completely to the aforementioned fever. “I guess I just like going to shows,” Dennis explains. “The Appaloosa shows involve really good people who watch out for each other’s kids and make the whole thing family-friendly.”

Not long after that initial encounter, the two were at the World Show – Don to exhibit and coach (and sing), Dennis to do some shopping for a potential equine “project.” Skelly was interested in a horse he could learn with and from. He left the show without finding exactly what he wanted, but a week later happened to see information about Dawson on the Internet. You guessed it–the horse resided in Texas, so back they went.

The infamous Royce Crosby of Lawton, Oklahoma, originally owned Blazin Zipper. The 2005 gelding is by Zips Long John and out of a mare, Double Hot Dream, purchased from John and Debby Letham. At the time Skelly made his shopping decision, Gail Burke of Wichita Falls, Texas owned the horse.

After a growth spurt or two and some additional training, Dawson went to his first show and won a Hunt Seat class. As he progressed through his three- and four-year-old years, the bay/roan gelding earned Register of Merits in Hunter in Hand, FPD Halter (he led the nation last year and was National Champion), Junior Western Pleasure and Junior Hunter under Saddle. Dawson has also earned the distinction of being an “ApHC Champion.” Dennis is a proud Non-Pro ApHC exhibitor who especially enjoys Hunter in Hand classes, but is preparing himself for riding events.

At this point, you’re asking about how Blazin Zipper made it onto the screen as an “essential extra” for a music video. Another ingredient in the convergence recipe can be found in the supporting role of Don Charest. He also happens to be the trainer for a POA named “Bunny,” whose owner happens to be Haley Dunn, daughter of Ronnie Dunn.

In case you need to be reminded, Kix Brooks and Ronnie Dunn have been together since 1991. Not long ago, the duo announced that each partner intends to pursue other opportunities, or as Brooks likes to say, “We’re splittin,’ but we’re not quittin’. Their last stop on the “Last Rodeo” tour is schedule for August in Nashville. According to their own modest publicity, the duo has released 10 albums, had 20 Number One country hits, and received 27 Academy of Country Music awards–the most recent in April of this year, 17 Country Music Association awards and two Grammy awards (at least 15 Grammy nominations).

As plans came together for production of the “Cowgirls Don’t Cry” video, Ronnie Dunn gave Don a call and asked about using Haley’s POA, and mentioned they might need another horse for Reba. Charest obliged by bringing a Quarter Horse and Dawson to the set as candidates for a role.

Don and Dennis later shared the sentiment that missing out on the World Show was a disappointment, but the opportunity to visit the set of a music video and have a horse that was part of the scenery probably made up for it. And, oh yeah, Dennis points out, “It was pretty cool to meet Reba.”

“It was supposed to look like a summer day,” Charest says, “but it was colder than cold.” The director kept telling everyone to “pretend it’s hot!” Each scene and each retake involved taking off layers of coats and vests and trying valiantly to look warm.

There were no fussy stars in this production, least of all Dawson. “He seemed to almost enjoy being on the set, even though there were plenty of distractions in the form of cameras on tracks, big screens for glare control and lots of people running around,” Charest says. “The crew couldn’t get over how relaxed he was about the whole thing. He took it all in stride and wasn’t even bothered by the wind whipping the giant screens.”

Charest and Skelly had fun being on the set and were impressed. “Watching them film and put all the details together for a final product was truly amazing,” Don says. “It was neat how everyone pitched in to help and to know that there was concern for the well-being of the animals at all times.” As an example, Bunny, the POA star, was asked to run the barrels several times, and the production crew was especially mindful of her status. It became a familiar call from the director—“Let’s give Bunny a break!”

The horses were only on the set for one day and production was completed in two. After the video, all the human and equine cast members have gone on to other projects, but the experience was truly memorable. Beyond that, the publicity has been good for the Appaloosa breed. We were fortunate to be so well represented by both species.

“Lots of people have told Dennis that he may not realize what a special horse he has in Dawson,” Charest says. “For a younger horse to be so willing, so laid back and so good is pretty remarkable.”

We’re guessing that Dennis, and now the rest of us, will agree that the “video horse” is special for lots of reasons.
By Steve Taylor

Robert trains at his 35-acre Bar M Ranch, and coaches roughly 10–12 clients. While he holds a soft spot for Appaloosas, he has Quarter Horses in his barn as well.

A lasting impression

Robert has been into horses since he got his first pony as a child. “I was horse crazy!” Robert says of why he received the life-changing Christmas gift. “I rode the hair off of it. All I ever did was trail ride.”

That love for horses stuck with Robert through young adulthood. Then, he took a break from horses during his early years of marriage, but eventually got back into riding as a family activity.

“We had horses and the kids had ponies and we did a lot of trail riding,” Robert says. “Finally, I went to my first horse show and I loved it. I saw an old roper trying to do reining and was really impressed. Then, at another show, when I saw a real reining horse perform I thought, ‘Whew! That’s what I want to do!’”

Becoming a reiner

Robert saw his first reiner in 1985, and eagerly began learning all he could about the discipline.

“I just started reining,” Robert recalls. “You couldn’t even tell what pattern I was trying to run it was so terrible. But I was so hungry about it that I just read and watched and watched and read, trying to learn all I could.”

Then Robert rented his first Craig Johnson video. “I watched it until it literally wore out,” he says. “I analyzed it and diced it up and finally got the concept of what they were trying to do.”

Robert began showing local shows and gaining experience. He also started winning. Still wanting more, his desire to excel propelled him through progressively bigger shows and better horses.

“And then I ventured off,” Robert says. “I’d bought and trained an NRHA sire and dam horse that was paid up in the futurity. So, I went to my first NRHA show: the futurity. I didn’t do much—I did get two scores—but it turned into a giant two-week clinic for me.”

NRHA competition opened up a whole new opportunity for Robert to learn and improve. He watched the greats, trying to figure out what they did and how they did it. He also rode with the likes of Keith Tidmore out of Colbert, Georgia.

“Keith was a big help to me,” says Robert, who also looked up to reining legends Craig Johnson and Bob Loomis. As Robert found success in NRHA competition, he pushed himself to improve and progress.

Appaloosa connections

In 2001 fellow Mississippi horse enthusiasts Vaughn and Valerie Wilson sent Appaloosa mare, Mama’s Tattoo, to Robert for reining training.

“Valerie wanted to get into reining and Vaughn had had Appaloosas all his life,” Robert recalls. “So when she wanted to start reining it had to be an Appaloosa.”

Mama’s Tattoo excelled at reining and Robert quickly began winning with the mare, as did Valerie. Building on that success, Vaughn and Valerie sent more Appaloosas to Robert for training. Soon, Robert found himself at home in the Appaloosa reining industry as well.

“I’ve been very fortunate to have some really nice Appaloosa reiners and I’ve won on most all of them,” Robert relates. Robert bought his first Appaloosa, A&B Bug A Boo, in 2003 from a customer that had actually sent the gelding to be tuned up for sale.

“That rascal was good,” Robert says, “But very, very ring sour.” Robert went on to win the 2004 reserve World championship with A&B Bug A Boo, and went back and won the 2005 World and 2006 National championships in senior reining with him before eventually selling him. Robert also won the 2006 National junior reining with Ima Rowdy Boss.

The heart of a winner

From his modest 35-acre Wiggins, Mississippi, facility Robert has built a steady clientele, specializing in training reining horses and riders from beginners to advanced non-pros. While his own list of awards boasts trophies and money in both NRHA and Appaloosa competition, he’s driven to achieve more. “That hunger hasn’t ever ceased,” Robert says.

Robert took time from preparing for the show season to share his enthusiasm for reining with Appaloosa Journal.

By Robin Hendrickson

Full-text version printed in the February 2010 issue of Appaloosa Journal.
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