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Don Ferro
Dominic "Don" Ferro passed away Friday, May 15,
2009, at the age of 96. Visitation will be held from 6 to 8 p.m.
Wednesday, May 20, at the Church of the Nativity, 3800 W. 119th, Leawood,
Kan., where the Rosary will be prayed at 7:30 p.m. Mass of Christian
Burial has been changed to 10 a.m. Thursday, May 21, at St. Michael the
Archangel, 14201 Nall, Leawood. Burial will be at Mt. Olivet Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers the family suggests contributions to St. Jude's
Children's Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105. Don
was born the son of Antonino and Sebastiana (Bessy Orlando) Ferro on
Jan. 3, 1913, in Camporeale, Sicily, Italy. Don's family was his number
one priority and he enjoyed traveling with them. He had a passion for
training and competing with Arabian horses, and riding at trail rides
until the age of 85. Don was preceded in death by his brother, Steve
Ferro. He leaves behind his wife, Angelina; daughter and son-in- law,
Beth and Frank Oddo; son and daughter-in-law, Don and Gloria Ferro;
grandchildren, Rick and Karen Oddo, Jeff and Karen Oddo, Brad and Liz
Oddo, Jennifer and Matthew Winston, Greg and Tiffany Ferro; 10 great
grandchildren; brother, Frank (Mary) Ferro; and a large family,
including many nieces and nephews. Arr.: McGilley State Line Chapel
(816) 942-6180.
(information provided by
kansascity.com)
Mike Norris/TM Tenacious Region
11 Champs!
Region 11 was our first show this year
with our gelding, TM Tenacious. We went with two goals, first was to get
Mike in the ring showing his horse in the Amateur class and crossing our
fingers we would win. Second, we needed to get Tenacious qualified for
the Open gelding classes so our trainer could show him. Of course our
little shining star Tenacious pulled through for us once again.
Mike took Tee in the Amateur class first and won the class. He had a very
lovely show and afterwards we went over the things that Mike needs to
work on and the things he needs to keep doing and the things he never
needs to do again, haha. But their showing was beautiful. A few of the
halter people told us that Tenacious scored the highest score ever given
to an Arabian since the new system has been in place. That was a pretty
cool accomplishment. It seems like Tenacious is just full of new things
for us to look forward to. Bruce was supposed to show Tenacious in the
Open class for Mike. Unfortunately with Dillon not at the show, and a
class between the halter and Bruce’s western class he was not able to
show Tee. He informed us that Mike would be showing the open class with
Tee. I have to say, Mike was pretty nervous about that but Bruce kept
assuring Mike that he would be fine and the horse would do very well.
Besides, all we needed was a Top Five to qualify and they were fairly
certain Mike could fall down while running (not Mike’s strong suit) and
they would still make a Top Five with Tee. So off Mike went to show his
horse, he was concentrating coming in the gate and forgot to do a circle
at the beginning before trotting down the rail. The rest of the show the
pair did a very nice job. When it came to calling out the Champion in
the open class, Tenacious was named the Open Gelding Champion at Region
11 with his amateur owner Mike Norris leading him. We were all very
excited! Mike was thrilled that Mike Neal came and shook his hand and
told him some very complimentary things afterwards. He really liked the
wonderful sportsmanship shown.
When Noel suggested I write something about Region 11 I wasn’t sure if
everyone wanted to hear about TM Tenacious and Mike Norris, yet again. I
guess everyone likes to hear about each other’s successes so I tried to
condense what we accomplished in Springfield. Tee is a great beautiful
horse and he loves doing his job, it shows when you watch him. We feel
so very lucky to own him and love him every day. I am so glad that Mike
noticed his beauty and that Blake made it possible for us to buy him!
GKCAHA Pony Express Show
Saturday, August 1, was the perfect evening
for an outdoor horse show, and exhibitors and spectators both responded
by turning out in big numbers for the GKCAHA Pony Express Show at
Longview Horse Park. We have endured stormy weather and extremely
hot days to put on this show, and we were finally rewarded for our
perseverance with mild temperatures and a big crowd.
Approximately 93 horses were brought in,
and several classes had 15 or more entries. Two judges were
responsible for deciding the winners:
Lane Patterson for the Lite-Shod and Foxtrotter
classes and Blake Skole for the bulk of the show. The
concession stand, run by Gary & Janice Holt, served all the traditional
foods, as well as Janice’s
homemade fried fruit pies, a treat many people
indulged in!
GKCAHA thanks these volunteers who helped at the
show: Blake Skole, Karen Kemper, Carol Baker, Ruth & Dan Charpie, Mike &
Chris Norris, Mackenzie Norris, Liz Goede, Lauren Woolmer, Pamm Payne,
Carol Forsythe, Kari Kemper, Scott Dobson, Mary Dobson and especially
the show manager: Jamie Moore.
GKCAHA also thanks all the exhibitors,
sponsors, and the spectators that came to watch all the beautiful
horses. It was a great evening!
(Written by Mary Dobson)
GKCAHA Election
results!
President: Pamm Payne
Vice-President: Sharon True
Secretary: Chris Norris
Treasurer: Mary Dobson
Corresponding Secretary: Mary Dobson
Delegate 3yr term: Cindy Kunkel
Board of Directors:
1 yr. term: Liz Goede, Kevin Jochens, Kari Kemper
3 yr. term: Carol Baker, Cindy Kunkel, Noel Ison
Mike Norris & TM Tenacious are
Reserve National Champion!
Mike Norris showed TM Tenacious to Reserve
Champion in Arabian Gelding In-Hand AAOTR with a score of 336 at US
Nationals. Congratulations go out to Mike and 'Tee'. Here
are some pictures of them from Nationals.
 
Liberty Meadows in the AH Times!
Ryan Strand and Liberty Meadows just did a 34
page spread in the Arabian Horse Times. It is a great read with
lots of information about the team that makes up Liberty Meadows.
Click
here to read the article!
Congratulations!
GKCAHA would like to congratulate Jeanna and
Alan Clanton on their September 13th marriage!
AHA Youth Nationals
Youth Nationals just finished up in Albuquerque,
New Mexico on Saturday August 2nd 2008. Click
here to read a wrap up of the show. You can click
here to see the show results!
Glen True chosen for multiple
National Volunteer
of the Year awards
Glen True was honored as the National
Volunteer
of the Year by AHA. The recipient is chosen by the AHA Board of
Directors. It is truly a great and deserving award.
Glen was
also selected as the AHA Region 11 Volunteer of the Year, an award each
region chooses.
Glen was also selected as the American
Professional Horsemans Association (APHA) Volunteer of the year.
And to add one more to his list, Glen was choosen
as the club volunteer of the year!
We know that GKCAHA is lucky to have Glen as a member of our group and
we already realized how much he does on behalf of our shows each year.
Congratulations to you Glen and thank you for all of your hard work and
dedication.
Important American Royal News!!
Dear American Royal Arabian Horse Show
enthusiast:
Thank you for your past participation in and support of the American
Royal Arabian Horse Show. It is one of the community’s favorite shows in
our event line-up and this year will be no exception.
Another exciting American Royal season is underway with Saturday,
September 27 and Sunday, September 28 set aside to showcase Arabian and
Half-Arabian horses. We have some new facilities, new classes and other
opportunities to share with you before the show.
Warm-up: We’ve heard from many of you that the warm-up facilities
available simply aren’t adequate. We are absolutely delighted to
announce the opening of the brand new Tom Bass Arena, located
immediately adjacent to Hale Arena. We will host a ribbon-cutting and
champagne reception in the new warm-up arena between the afternoon and
evening sessions Saturday, September 27. We are also aware the warm-up
in Scott Pavilion is sometimes not practical due to the class schedule.
A 75 x 220 warm-up arena will be located in the Governor’s Building
immediately across from the stalling area. Appropriate footing will be
installed across the Grand Hall to get from one side of the building to
the other.
Tack Taxi: It can be a long walk from the unloading doorway to your
stalls. That’s why the Tack Taxi is available to help. Just watch for
the volunteers and they’ll be happy to assist you in moving in your
equipment.
Pink Ribbon Class: With Breast Cancer Awareness Month in October, we’ll
be offering a special Pink Ribbon Class at this year’s show, with all
entry proceeds benefitting the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Research
Foundation. The class designated for 2008 is Class 73, Purebred Hunter
Pleasure Open. Competitors are encouraged to wear something pink.
Additional contributions will be gladly accepted in honor or memory of a
loved one.
Black Tie and Tails Gala: Come celebrate the entire American Royal season
with the grand finale – the Black Tie and Tails Gala on Saturday,
November 22nd. The beneficiaries of the evening will be the therapeutic
riding programs located in our community. For more information and
tickets, contact Barbara Spilker at
barspi@sbcglobal.net.
On behalf of the entire American Royal Horse Show Committee, thank you
for your ongoing support of Kansas City’s longest-running show. We look
forward to seeing you a few weeks.
Sincerely,
Teresa Barton, Co-Chair
Liz Goede, Co-Chair
Glen True, Show Manager
Carol Baker
Terry Corrie
Michelle George
Colleen Scott
John Simmons
American Royal information!
The
American Royal Arabian horse show will be
held September 27th & 28th, 2008 at Hale Arena. Pam Zimmerman will
be the judge this year. Save those dates on your calendars!
Mid-Winter Recap!
The GKCAHA Midwinter Celebration was held
on January 26, and everyone attending enjoyed great food and fun. Music
was provided by Lewis Bradford, and much thanks to he and Pat for
helping set up and take down. Contests were held to determine the
best scalloped potato and dessert dishes and the judges had a great time
deciding those winners! President Carol Baker recognized special
visitors of the evening, former members of GKCAHA, and especially one of
the original officers in 1964, Ruby Daily.
Two special people were awarded honorary life memberships in GKCAHA.
Kathy Risinger and Will Skole were chosen as a result of their
contributions to GKCAHA and dedication to the Arabian horse industry.
High point awards were presented, including embroidered jackets, photo
albums, trophies, etc. Carol Baker announced that the Board of
Directors had chosen Mary Dobson as Club Member of the Year, and
presented her with a
personalized keepsake of this honor. A secret bag auction
concluded the fun evening. A total of 14 bags were available for
bidding, with the contents unknown, except that one bag contained a $100
bill. The auction was lively, and the highest bid was $110. A total of
$667 was raised from the auction, and the winner of the $100 bag was
Ruby Daily’s granddaughter. GKCAHA thanks Pamm Payne for her
wonderful table decorations,
Angela O’Neill for the camera work, Carol Baker for the great awards,
and everyone who helped set up and clean up.
Elections results and meeting
recap
Congratulations to the GKCAHA Board of
Directors-2011 group: Karen Kemper, Angela O'Neill, Ryan Strand.
Congratulations to the Delegates: 1 year term: Carol Baker and 3 year
term: Sharon True
Delegates now serve a 3 year term and 1 position will be elected each
year based on the current allotment of delegates.
As many know, new rules for exhibiting in
halter classes will be implemented in April, and the Border Bonanza will
be one of the first shows to run under these rules. As a result, there
are lots of questions about exactly what these rules require.
An informational video for judges was shown, which
clarified the new requirements. Thanks to Carol Baker, Angela O'Neill
and Glen True for leading the discussion and helping with questions.
Congratulations!
Heather Forsythe Cutshall, former youth and
adult member of GKAHA and her husband Jacob had their first baby, Jacob
Houston Cutshall , today, May 5--
he weighed 8 lb. 10 oz. and was 21 inches long--the grandparents are Mr.
& Mrs. Curt Forsythe of Pleasant Hill. Heather and Jacob live in
Manhattan, KS
We now have the "final Show Booklet" for the 2008 Border Bonanza show.
Click on the picture above or click
here to download this
booklet.
Volunteers for the Border Bonanza Show are needed,
especially during the halter classes Thursday, Saturday and Sunday
morning sessions. Gate and ribbon help are always welcome. Call
Mary Dobson, Volunteer Coordinator 816-331-2888.
Region 11 scholarship information!
Region XI is proud to offer two educational
scholarships each year. The high school senior scholarship is offered
for those graduating from high school during the 2007 – 2008 school
year. It is available to any high school senior who is currently a
member of any Region XI affiliated club. Applications may be received by
contacting
Ann Hammer, Scholarship Chair, at 12154 Rose Road, Trenton, IL
62293-4640, or by downloading the application from the Region XI
website. All applications must be requested or downloaded by
the April 15, 2008 application request deadline.
All applications must be submitted by May 1, 2008 to be considered for
an award.
Click
here for the Region 11 high
school senior scholarship form.
Also available annually is the scholarship for
continuing education. This scholarship is available to any AHA Region XI
affiliated club member who is currently attending college or university
or who graduated from high school prior to the 2007 - 2008 school year
and is planning to enroll in a college or university during the 2008 –
2009 school year. This scholarship may be awarded to a student only once
during a student’s school career. Applications may be received by
contacting Ann Hammer, Scholarship Chair, at 12154 Rose Road, Trenton,
IL 62293-4640, or by downloading the application from the Region XI
website. All applications must be requested or downloaded by
the April 15, 2008 application request deadline. All applications must
be submitted by May 1, 2008 to be considered for an award.
Click
here for the Region 11
continuing education scholarship form.
Alert! - Missing Mares
Carol has been informed that they are at home now
with their owner. The Oklahoma club sent us an email thanking us for the
publicity!
Upcoming Reining Clinic
***Reining Clinic featuring NRHA professional and
US National Champion Half Arabian Reining Futurity winner
Matt Lantz Of Lantz Performance Horses, Saturday May 17, 2008 Scoggins
Training Center, Tuscola, IL
www.scoggins-arabians.com
Space limited to ride in the clinic. All net proceeds going to fund
additional prize money in the Region XI reining classes. Cost to
participate $250 to ride or $50 to observe. Contact Brian Scoggins
217-369-4937 for additional information.
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MO-KAN Border Bonanza article
The Mo-Kan Border Bonanza was relocated this
year to the American Royal Complex in Kansas City, and the results were
increased entries, and no interference from the weather.
Over 240 horses were entered, and everyone
enjoyed the new huge warmup facility, as well as the many amenities
available on the grounds and nearby.
The Greater Kansas City Arabian Horse Association sponsored the first
show, on April 23-24, with Brian Murch as the judge. Most classes had
entries, and the judge put in two full days of work. The last class held
was the Trainer Calcutta, which proved daunting for riders and the
judge, but Alan Clanton prevailed over Jody Strand, even though they had
to trade horses before declaring a winner in “Brian Says!.”
As with any horse show, volunteers are vital to the success of the
event. Many people volunteered for GKCAHA during Show I, including:
Chris Fahrenholz, Kaisu Rosewall, Dave Copas, Sarah Hopkins, Liz Goede,
Pamm Payne, Angela O’Neill, Laura Wilcox,
Brenda and Megan Dominick, Heather Jochens, Carol Baker, Chris Simon and
Mary Dobson. We especially appreciate the expertise of Glen True, our
show manager.
(Written by Mary Dobson)
Ron Payton Article
Many people know Ron Payton in the Arabian
world. Click
here to read a article about Ron by
his daughter.
GKCAHA donates to the HELP
Humane Society
Sharon True met with the representative from
the HELP Humane Society in Belton to present GKCAHA's donation from the
Border Bonanza. This is a no-kill animal shelter that is GKCAHA's
charity of choice for the show. This years show raised $750 for
the shelter.
Mid-Winter Wrap-up!
Mardi Gras was celebrated somewhat early by the
attendees at the GKCAHA Midwinter Banquet and Awards party on January
24. Tables were decorated in purple and green, and covered with Mardi
Gras beads and confetti. Everyone feasted on traditional red beans and
rice, as well as many delicious side dishes brought by members.
 (photos
courtesy of Myron Engeman)
“Chef” Mike Norris treated the group by cooking
a “shrimp boil” outside in front of the building. Everyone enjoyed
the shrimp, corn and potatoes, and Mike said it was authentic, because
his parents live in New Orleans! Sharon and Glen True provided King
Cakes as part of the traditional Mardi Gras feast, which ended the
dinner on a very festive note.
After the dinner, high point awards for 2008 were announced by President
Carol Baker. Another fun part of the evening was the Bag Auction, during
which 15 gift bags are auctioned off to the highest bidder. The winner
of the $100 bag was Alan Clanton and the winner of the $50 bag was Mason
Barnes. GKCAHA also gave away a free tack stall to a sponsor of a class
at the Border Bonanza I show.
Thanks to everyone who helped with the setup, decorations, dinner and
cleanup. It was a great way to celebrate the end of one year and the
beginning of the new year. Best wishes to everyone for a successful show
season.
Click
here to see more photos on
the gallery page.
Mike and Chrissy Norris’ US Nationals Experience
We had a wonderful time at Nationals this year.
We have wanted to go for a few years but did not have a horse that we
felt we should take. With Tenacious that all changed. Mike has been
showing through the years, mainly to keep himself amused while at the
shows. With the purchase of Tee I think he found a niche where he feels
comfortable showing. We knew going in to Nationals that we had a very
nice horse. Mike was always joking with his customers that he was going
to win Reserve Champion with him. Mike and I had not been to Nationals
before. This was our first time, so he wanted to go and watch a little
of a halter class so he could get his plan down. After watching some
classes he decided how he was going to enter with his horse and go about
showing him. Tenacious did his part, upon coming in the class he was
very upright and looking around at everyone in the arena with this
attitude that said Look at Me. He looked so confident and so did Mike.
They went around and did ‘Mikes plan’ like they had done this hundreds
of times before. Tee just followed Mike everywhere he went all the while
looking around at all the commotion outside the ring. To those of you
that do not know Mike and Tee, they have a very special bond. For some
reason this horse just LOVES Mike to pieces. When it was time for Tee to
stand up, he hit his pose and stretched his very long neck out and was
awesome. Mike said all he had to do was stand there and it seems that
Tee was there to show, and show he did. All the while I was in the
stands biting every nail I have off my fingers. When the scores came in
and Tenacious was 6 points above last year’s Reserve Champion and 10
points higher than any other horse at that point, I was in a little
shock, I have to admit. I was very much hoping we would pull off a Top
Ten. Bruce was always so confident that Tenacious would be a top
contender in the class. Of course only one horse came close to the score
that Tenacious had and he beat our horse by one point. We were so very
excited and it seemed very surreal to us that this had just happened.
When I first picked up Tenacious when we bought him, although he was a
few hundred pounds underweight, I could just see this beautiful animal.
I remember telling Mike that he looked like the horses in the magazines.
So at Nationals he has shown us that I was right, he is a horse that
belongs in the magazines. I do have to admit on the way home from Tulsa
we were still in shock a little and then it started wearing off and I
just started crying a little bit, to think we actually have a Reserve
Champion Gelding and that darn little horse statue that I had been
wanting for so long. Still have to say I would have liked the Reserve
Champion jacket for myself, Mike of course got his, but my point was
that Tenacious is my horse too. When Mike first started trimming Tee,
a few years ago, he always told me how special he was and how he was
going to go places. He is so very proud that he saw this in Tee and that
other people saw the same beauty in Tee that we do every day.
My first experience at Nationals was a little intimidating for me.
Sitting down in the warm up ring, watching people unveil their horses
was intimidating. I kept seeing all these beautiful horses getting ready
to go in the ring. But as far as showing at Nationals, I thought it was
very easy and very clear to understand what they were asking us to do.
You hear stories of the people in the Arabian world that are above
everybody else, I found while walking down the aisles and in around the
stalls that I met some of the nicest people. When I came out of the ring
it was very exciting to meet Sheila Varian, David Boggs, Andy Sellman
and others that I have seen in the Arabian industry, they were all very
nice to congratulate me on a job well done. Honestly after that, it just
seems like a whirlwind of events. I really look forward to showing at
Nationals from here on out, but I also realize that this was a chance of
a lifetime that might never come again for me. Now I am really
concentrating on getting Chrissy to Nationals on one of our new English
horses. Most of all I am thankful to Tenacious for going in the ring and
actually wanting to show. He will always be a very special horse in my
heart.
I think with the halter score changes for Nationals next year; it will
make things a little bit more exciting. When we went in for the Top Ten
and Champion presentations, we already knew we had Reserve. We
celebrated and congratulated each other in the warm up area before we
went in. We really cannot compare the two systems, since this is the
first year we have shown halter. We haven’t had any problems with the
new system at all. It is actually very educational for us to look back
and see where our horse placed low or high. Then we had the chance to go
back and say, yes I can see why he would place high here or low there.
Next year it will be nice to show your horse and then go back to your
stalls when you are done, as the classes did seem to last a very long
time
GKCAHA Pony Express Show update!
We have found a group that will run the
concession stand at the Pony Express Show. Some of the items they
will have are hamburgers, hot dogs, polish dogs, chips, and their
specialty, homemade fried pies in flavors of apple, blackberry, cherry
and peach.
AHA 2008 Canadian Nationals
Results
Congratulations go out to Sharon True and SONG
AND DANCE LOA for their Championship win in the HA/AA Hunter Pl AAO 40 &
Over at the 2008 Canadian Nationals!!!
Stolen Tack near Kearney
Missouri
Sarah Dickerson writes:
Hello, I am writing to notify everyone I can in
the horse community of a tack theft that occurred near Kearney, MO (92
Hwy./Cameron Rd. area) on Friday, June 6th. 5 saddles (1 dressage, one
close contact, 3 western) and numerous bridles and other pieces of
equipment were stolen. Please find attached a flyer with images of some
of this equipment. It is by no means a complete list.
If everyone could keep a lookout when looking at used tack for sale,
especially auctions, I would greatly appreciate it. The dressage saddle
and close contact in particular are going to stand out at any auction
most likely. If anyone sees anything suspect on consignment at a tack or
feed store, please contact me. I will come look! We are in the process
of contacting auction houses, as many as possible, in Kansas and
Missouri - but we have no way if we're hitting them all.
Please feel free to forward this on to other horse people who may be
able to help or who may be in the Northland area, so they know to keep
their own equipment secure. Thanks in advance for your help, and be
careful with your equipment,
Sarah Dickerson
rydenfly@aol.com
Click
here for a list of Stolen Tack
Border Bonanza photos and wrap-up!!!!
We have pictures that were provided by Avalon
Photography, the Border Bonanza photographer. They provided us
with some pictures that are fantastic! They have a lot of
wonderful pictures from the show that you can find at their website
Avalon Photography. You will
need to create an account to view the photos.
Here is some of the pictures they took at the
show. You can find more in the
photo gallery.
(photos courtesy of Avalon Photography)
The 2nd annual MO-KAN Border Bonanza is now
history, and as usual, the weather played a big part in
the show, with rain showing up often during the four days. Exhibitor
numbers were slightly down from 2007, but the show ran smoothly and
everyone understood and dealt with the mud and adverse weather
conditions. The pizza party and barn party during Show I and the ice
cream social during Show II were well-attended and everyone appreciated
the free food after a long day of working and showing. Final
exhibitor numbers and finances will be announced in later updates on the
GKCAHA website. The show staffs for both events are to be
congratulated for well-run sessions. A huge debt of gratitude goes to
the volunteers who helped throughout the four days, especially: Glen
True and Dave Copas-show managers, all the center ring help, Carol
Baker, Angela O'Neill, J.R. Kendall, Pam Payne, Ken McDonald, Chris
Fahrenholz, Ray Breit, Robin Copas, Melissa Owens, Linda Early, John
Simmons, Al Wilke, Kristi Kanorek, Christie Schell and many, many others
who pitched in when help was needed.
' A special thanks goes to the H.O.R.S.E. group which volunteered their
time during the weekend to help at the gate. It was great to meet them
and learn about their organization, one of the charities for EKAHA.
GKCAHA donates part of their proceeds from the show to the HELP Humane
Society, a no-kill small animal rescue group, located in Belton, MO.
The biggest thanks goes to our many exhibitors at the Border Bonanza,
who support us every year and are a great group of friends and horse
lovers. Best wishes for a successful show season!
(submitted by Mary Dobson)
A Fantastic Pony!
Meet Molly. She's a gray speckled
pony who was abandoned by her owners when Katrina hit southern
Louisiana. She spent weeks on her own before finally being
rescued and taken to a farm where abandoned animals were
stockpiled. While there, she was attacked by a pit bull terrier,
and almost died. Her gnawed right front leg became infected and
her vet went to LSU for help. But LSU was overwhelmed, and this
pony was a welfare case. You know how that goes.
But after surgeon Rustin Moore met Molly, he changed his mind.
He saw how the pony was careful to lie down on different sides
so she didn't seem to get sores, and how she allowed people to
handle her. She protected her injured leg. She constantly
shifted her weight, and didn't overload her good leg. She was a
smart pony with a serious survival ethic.
Moore agreed to remove her leg below the knee and a temporary
artificial limb was built. Molly walked out of the clinic and
her story really begins there.
'This was the right horse and the
right owner,' Moore insists. Molly happened to be a
one-in-a-million patient. She's tough as nails, but sweet, and
she was willing to cope with pain. She made it obvious she
understood (that) she was in trouble. The other important
factor, according to Moore , is having a truly committed and
compliant owner who is dedicated to providing the daily care
required over the lifetime of the horse.
Molly's story turns into a parable for life in post-Katrina
Louisiana . The little pony gained weight, her mane felt a comb.
A human prosthesis designer built her a leg. The
prosthetic has given Molly a whole new life, Allison Barca DVM,
Molly's regular vet, reports.
And she asks for it! She will put
her little limb out, and come to you and let you know that she
wants you to put it on. Sometimes she wants you to take it off
too.' And sometimes, Molly gets away from Barca. 'It can be
pretty bad when you can't catch a three-legged horse', she
laughs.
(This is Molly's most recent
prosthesis. The bottom photo shows the ground surface that she
stands on, which has a smiley face embossed in it . Wherever
Molly goes, she leaves a smiley hoof print behind! Click on the
picture for a larger view)
Most important of all, Molly has
a job now. Kay, the rescue farm owner, started taking Molly to
shelters, hospitals, nursing homes, rehabilitation centers.
Anywhere she thought that people needed hope. Wherever Molly
went, she showed people her pluck. She inspired people. And she
had a good time doing it. 'It's obvious to me that Molly had a
bigger role to play in life', Moore said, 'She survived the
hurricane, she survived a horrible injury, and now she is giving
hope to others. She's not back to normal, Barca concluded,
'but she's going to be better. To me, she could be a symbol for
New Orleans itself.'
Photographer Johnny Johnston
coming to KC!
(photo courtesy of Johnny Johnston)
Legendary photographer Johnny Johnston will be
in Kansas City to photograph horses the weekend of June 14th - 15th at
Equestrian Heights located at Lone Star Ranch. "Johnny Johnston is a
legend in the Arabian horse photography business, the acknowledged
'grandfather of Arabian horse photography,' according to some" begins
the recent article in Modern Arabian Horse magazine. The article lists
Johnston as one of the 100 most influential and significant people,
horses or events in the Arabian breed in the past 100 years. His photos
of *Bask++, *Padron and Khemosabi++++ among others have appeared in
countless horse magazines and many other publications. His book,
Arabians from the Camera of Johnny Johnston, has these photos and many
more of owners with their favorite horses.
Johnny has many wonderful stories about the Arabian horse industry, some
of the famous horses and about how to take quality photos of horses. He
will be sharing these stories and answering questions about photography
and his experiences with horses at a cook out on Saturday night. No
reservation is necessary.
To reserve a time to have a photo session for your horse with Johnny,
contact Kevin Jochens of Equestrian Heights at 816-519-2756.
http://johnnyjohnstonphotos.com/
(photo courtesy of Johnny Johnston)
Regional Qualifications rule
"Article 1233: #2--Be qualified in an AHA
Recognized Show/Division that was held within the preceding calendar
year and that period of the current year prior to the final deadline of
entries of the show in which the Regional Championship class is held."
According to AHA, this means that appropriate 2007 points and points
accumulated in 2008 before the Regional show can be used to qualify for
the Regional classes, assuming you have met all the other required
qualifications. Check the 2008 AHA Handbook, available on the AHA
website.
Upcoming Arab Clinic
Arab inc. invites you to join us as we host a
clinic with Diane Rodich, USDF Certified instructor, FEI rider.
www.topclassdressage.com March 28-30, 2008 at Tower Hill
Equestrian Center in Dawson Illinois. Diane Rodich of Ringoes, NJ
and Wellington, Florida has been teaching and training horses and riders
in all levels of dressage for the past 20 years. Diane has
competed thru the FEI with various horses. She is a Certified Dressage
Instructor with both the United States Dressage Federation and American
Riding Instructor Certification Program, and has extensive training
with well respected dressage trainers. Diane spent the summer of 2007
living and training in Germany with international coach Conrad
Schumacher. Diane enjoys teaching and training, and finds great
reward in helping riders learn to communicate and ride more effectively
by assessing the needs of each rider individually. Diane follows the
classical system for teaching and
training, and utilizes her skill and understanding of biomechanics to
benefit riders of all levels. Some of Diane's 2007 competition
accomplishments include: 2007 KWPN All Breeds Reserve Champion Third
Level with Perry median score 68.7%; 2007 AHHA All Breeds Reserve
Champion at both Prix St. George & Intermediare I with Casu Quo, median
score of 66.5%. Diane also showed the Arabian gelding, A Focus in
2007 and received the
following awards: USEF Horse of the Year First Level Regional Champion,
USDF Certificate of Performance @ First Level, USDF All Breeds First
Level Champion, USEF Horse of the Year National First Level Reserve
Champion, Arabian Horse Association First Level Regional Champion, East
Coast Reserve First Level Champion, East Coast Top Five First Level
Champion, Tri County
Arabian Award for Outstanding Achievement in Dressage. Location:
Tower Hill Equestrian Center 1357 Tower Hill Rd. Dawson IL 62520
For directions go to www.towerhillequestrian.com
Arab Inc. members will receive a reduced rate to help enrich our members
in their pursuit of improving their riding. Please contact Margaret
Moore 309-706-1686 equestdreams@msn.com for more information and reserve
your spot. Friday evening will be a fun "Dressage for Dummies" for
anyone who may want to venture into the Dressage world. Watch for
more clinics to come, future possible clinicians include Tommy Garland!
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