2020

December 30, 2020

Yesterday they buried a wonderful person who was also an outstanding horseman----Danny Watts.   For those of you who didn't know Danny, you were truly missing something.   I met him years ago when my good friend Dudley Pillow took me to his place to see his horses.   I remember seeing Telusive as a yearling in 1994  and to be honest, since I am a head and neck person, I did not like the way his neck tied in.  Other than that he was an outstanding individual and certainly went on to prove it with his produce.   He was sired by Kid Clu and out of a daughter of Skipa Star.   Another stallion that I got to see at Danny's was The Phenominal.   He also was by Kid Clu and out of a Skipa Star mare.   Now, I loved that horse but then I am a sucker for a big hanging him and he certainly had that.   The last time I was there, Dudley took me to see Ima Cool Seeker.   He was "our kind of breeding" as he was sired by Ima Cool Skip and out of a Goldseeker Bar mare.   Of the three horses he was the only NN one.  He was very tall and short backed but I thought he could have had a longer neck and more carry down to his hip.   Danny Watts could spot a good horse and owned some of the best in our industry.   Every time we went to Danny's we would have to stop at a little place down the road and pick up crawfish.  Being a "northern girl" there is no way I would eat one of those but my friends back in Wisconsin loved them.   I wish all of you could have known Danny and learned from his vast knowledge of horses.  I am posting a picture of Danny with The Phenomenal that a friend of Donna Davis' took while looking at him.

December 28, 2020

My friends, Joe and Caryn Zimmerman from New York were in Neenah for Christmas.  Joe has a drone and was good enough to take some pictures of our place.   Since 2020 was pretty much a "quarantine year" we were able to  get a lot of things done.  Richard Kaufmann not only cut down several dead trees but he also trimmed the bushes and burned all the dead grass along the tree lines.  Bob Luebker painted all the fences and Leah Gloudemans helped with everything and vowed to get rid of all the "buckthorn" on the property.  I don't know what I would do without the help of these people.   I must say that Ellis Quarter Horses looks pretty good.

Click on pictures to enlarge.

December 25, 2020

Christmas is a difficult time for those of us who have lost loved ones.   We relive those wonderful memories of the past.   Things at the time we did not really appreciate.   This year has been extremely difficult as due to the Covid, I have stayed pretty much at home.   I missed seeing all of my "horse friends" and even being able to socialize with my "neighborhood friends"  But I consider myself very lucky to have so many good friends, both around here and from far and wide on Facebook and I thank you all.   I look forward to 2021 and the arrival of the foals and being able to finally travel and get back to the "real world"  I wanted to show you my little Christmas tree and many of you will recognize the things that I have on the mantle and under the tree.  I thank you all and wish you a wonderful Christmas.

December 20, 2020

Christmas is coming soon and Gabriel is ready for it.   Friday, Leah Gloudemanns took this adorable picture of him all decked out in his holiday outfit.     Gabriel has been a God-send to me.

December 16, 2020

Five years ago I posted this picture.   My friend and we are not even related, Russell Ellis sent me this picture.  Read the story to see how we met---it is a good one.  We have remained friends ever since and his "herd of horses" has grown bigger than mine.   I never noticed but look who is in the background of the picture.
 

Today, a great friend of mine undergoes bypass surgery.  I am sure  Russ Ellis is a friend of most of  you too.  I had no idea that he was having problems as you know how upbeat he is on Face Book and how much he is always joking.   Many people think Russ and I are related but we are not.  It was amazing how our two paths crossed and how we have been friends ever since.  Another of my good friends, Lanis Noble  had bought a palomino mare, JMK Fantasia and she was in foal to JMK Supernatural.  Now, keep in mind, that both of these horses were palominos.  Monte May foaled the mare out and when he called  Lanis to tell him that he had a stud colt, Lanis asked him what color and Monte told him that he was white with “golden eyes”  The baby was born at night so Lanis and I thought by morning we would get another opinion of the eye color of the colt.  Not so.   Of course, we had never had any experience with a cremello before.    Lanis sent me pictures and sure enough, the colt had light eyes.  He named him “King Tut” after the Egyptian boy king who’s tomb was thought to have all the gold, including the golden mask.    One day I received a call from Clint Milan and he was looking for a cremello colt.   I told him about Lanis’ “King Tut” and he was interested.   Monte May sent me pictures and I intended to forward them to Clint.   Well, with all my “uncomputer skills” I must have hit the wrong Clint and to my surprise, I got a call from Clint Fullerton.  Imagine my surprise when he asked me how I knew he was looking for a Cremello colt for a customer.   The rest is history.  Russ and Felisha Ellis bought Supernatural Fella and Lanis and I have been friends with Russ and Felisha ever since.   Funny thing is that I have never met Felisha but since their World Champion mare, Ima Cool Beauty Too is in foal to Fred (Classically) I am sure I will be making a trip to Agency Missouri to see the “filly”.   The picture above is one that Russ sent me   Russ and Lanis are always arguing over who is my best friend.  It is a picture of Lanis and I at the World Show several years ago.   As you can see, Russ photo shopped his head  picture over Lanis's head.  All in all, I hope Russ the best today and I told him that after he recovers he will have more energy than ever and he better watch out because Felisha will work him even harder.

December 14, 2020

Talk about time going fast.  This is a graphite drawing that Robyn Theobald did 10 YEARS ago.   And, I still have the tee shirt she sent me with it on.   I no longer have any of the horses in the picture.   The sorrel is CJ Miss Cool Evidence by Ima Cool Skip.  We sold her to Joy McGuffin.   The gray on the right  is Shanes Night Lady who was sired by Skips Shane and out of a daughter of  Parkers Eden Star who was owned by Paul Parker and we sold her to Jackie Hardwicke from Australia.   And the gray in the middle  is Shanes Lady Romantic, who is now owned by Tammy Bradshaw.     I have never met Robyn but have always admire her taste in horses.  She is a veterinarian from Arkansas and is also a wonderful artist.

December 10, 2020

Yesterday I took a picture of Rebecca (You Bet Im Cool)   She is one of the last own daughters of Ima Cool Skip and is out of Miss Bunny Tardee by Tardee Impressive.  She is NN and will soon be 21 years old.  A year ago I thought I would lose her.   Both Rebecca and her full sister Bonnie (CJ Miss Cool Tardee) had major problems.  I thought that Bonnie would make it and was sure Rebecca wouldn't.   She tore the meniscus in her stifle and was on 3 legs.  It has been a long journey but she is finally almost back to normal.   I am so thankful for my wonderful veterinarian, Dr Katherine Fox and also Dr Sarah Peters as they both went out of their way to try to save the "old girls"    Unfortunately we did end up having to put Bonnie down but despite the fact that Rebecca lost a lot of weight, she seems to be happy and pretty comfortable and has gained weight back.     I knew she was not a candidate for surgery as she has never been off our place and I don't know if she could handle a trip.   I also think her bonding with Gabriel the donkey has helped her recover.   She thinks of him as her baby and cannot handle not being able to see him.  I am going to make a bold statement and predict that in 2021 Rebecca is in good enough  shape and she has the right attitude so  that I will be able to get an embryo out of her.

December 8, 2020

Before "Social Media" we used to sell horses by advertising them in the Quarter Horse Journal.   Back then it was a huge monthly magazine and every horseman looked forward to getting it.   Mike and I met so many lifelong friends through the ads that we would place in the back of the Journal.   They were small black and white ads, probably 1/4 of a page and always pictured a horse for sale and we always included our motto "Expect the Exceptional"   I kept notebooks of the many people who called and I still have them.  Let me tell you about one of the ads.  We raised a black stud colt by Ima Cool Skip and Dick  and Barb Waltenberry always came and took pictures of our horses.   They are our neighbors and after the photo shoot, we would often meet for dinner and Dick would have his "old fashion"   Well, the Journal was out and I received several calls on the colt.   One in particular interested me.  It was from Tom Chambers who was an NBA basketball player for the Phoenix Suns.   This is how the conversation went.  "How much do you  want for the black colt?   I told him $25,000 and I will never forget his answer.  He said "Well, I guess I will buy him because if I don't I will lose my girlfriend"   When I hung up the phone and told Mike, since both of us didn't follow professional basketball and didn't know who Tom Chambers was, he got in the car and drove to the book store and bought a sports magazine.  Not only was Tom Chambers a professional basketball player but he was also the 1987 All Star Game's MVP.   When Mike took the magazine to the Capital to show his fellow senators, and tell the account of how it happened, one of them said "We don't want to see Tom Chambers's picture, We would rather see a picture of the girlfriend that he would buy a $25,000 horse for".

December 6, 2020

Here is another paint mare but I can't find any information on her.  Grace Berton took the picture and Dudley Pillow sent it to me.  On the back of the picture it said "Passionate Play" 1998 World Champion 2 year old mare"   Sold for $100,000.00    I cannot find her pedigree or any information on her so I expect the name is spelled wrong.   Anyone know anything about her?

I am a member of some very great APHA groups and one of them is posting pictures of "old famous paint horses"    I have a couple of pictures and don't know where to post them so I guess I will just post them on my page.    This is Check My Cheeks.   She was raised by my good friend,  Grace Berton and is of her breeding.   She was a 1993 mare by Imperial Skip  out of Seven S Country Girl by Son of Leo.    From what I was told, her white spot was between her cheeks.   Check My Cheeks was the 1997 National Honor Roll Champion Mare in open, amateur and youth.  She was also a 2 time Reserve World Champion with a total of 1725 lifetime points.   And I should know the "young man" holding her.

December 4, 2020

This popped up on my memories from 1996.   We bred to 7 of the top 10 horses listed.   Those were "great times" And Tardee Impressive wasn't even on the top 10.

December 3, 2020

On Thanksgiving Day I received my "usual holiday phone call" from Ronnie Salmons.   He has called me on every holiday since we first met.   This time he told me that his twin brother, Donny passed away on October 28 from the Covid.  I remember the first time I met Ronnie and Donnie.  It was when we were standing Impressivist and they brought a black mare to breed to him.  I think they picked the coldest day of the winter to come and I will never forget what he told me when he left St Josephs, Missouri.  "I am bringing my mare but if I don't like your stallion, I am going to take her back home"   That of course was before shipped semen.  Well, evidently they liked him because Ronnie continued to bring mares many  years after that.  In fact, one year he brought a mare ready to foal by a different stallion and she had twin foals.   We were able to save one of them.  A lasting friendship evolved with Ronnie and Mike and I.   Heck, when he got married, he and his wife spent their honeymoon in Neenah, Wisconsin and Mike showed them all of the wonderful sights around here.  This year, since I did not go to the Breeders Halter Futurity or the World Show, I did not get a chance to visit with him  but I really hope next year it will be different.   A few years ago, Ronnie gave me 2 Green Bay Packer mugs even though he is a St Louis football fan.   And, Ronnie also sent me this "Impressivist hat" that we had given him when he bred to Impressivist.   In the box with the hat was a note---"Have a Great 2017.  To my friends Mike and Sandy" and it was signed Ronnie with a PS---"Better than a picture" I am so thankful that I have wonderful friends like Ronnie that keep her going during this trying time.

December 2, 2020

It's that Christmas season again.  I know this one will be like "none other" but let's be thankful for everything we have and pray that we will be back to "normal" again soon.

November 29, 2020

Thanks you my  wonderful friends for the compliments on the picture of Wilma (Classically Kool) that I took on Thanksgiving Day.    Well yesterday, the day after, I could have lost her.  I have been trying to keep the horses off the grass because it is still warm and due to all the rain, they will dig them up.   So, I put Wilma in the arena for the day.  Bob Luebker was cleaning stalls and he heard a little noise and noticed that Wilma had evidently rolled and had her legs through the bars in the green gates.  He called me and as I ran to the arena,  I thought the worst.   But to my surprise they laid Wilma with her two back legs half way up her cannon bones through the panels at about a 45 degree angle and her front foot hooked around the u shaped gate support.,   All she had to do was struggle and I think she would have broken her back legs.  But, she quietly laid there.   Thank God Bob was here yesterday.   He cut the zip ties that secured the gates together and we lifted them off their hinges.   Wilma continued to  lay quietly and look at us for an additional 5 minutes before she tried to get up.  She never bent the gates or even scraped hair off her legs.   And, I have always thought  that Wilma was "retarded" because of some of the things she does.   That is the reason I chose to embryo her last year.  I am changing my  opinion of her----now I think she is so smart that if she were a person she would be a "Rhodes Scholar".

November 28, 2020

My Wilma (Classically Kool) NN and over 16.3.   She is sired by Classically (Fred) and out of Rebecca (You Bet Im Cool) making her a half brother, sister cross.

November 27, 2020

I think you  will  enjoy this "modern day story"   Donna Davis and I have been friends for longer than I want to admit and we talk daily, discussing horses and breeding.   This year she had a beautiful colt born by Telaesecret out of her good producing mare, Cinderella's Heiress.  She sent me newborn pictures and pictures as he matured.   Well, I had a thought.   Since Terry and Tammy Bradshaw own Telasecret, I came up with a plan.   As many of you do, I watch "Official Terry Bradshaw" live on the computer and Terry started promoting his Bradshaw Bourbon.  It is a special formula that is 51.3% alcohol to reflect Terry's football passing average of 51.3 per cent.  I tried to order a bottle for my friend,  Charles Lauer, who collects Bourbon but it could not be shipped to Wisconsin.  So, I contacted Tammy and sent her pictures of the Telesecret stud colt and made her a proposal.   I bet her that the colt would win a trophy at the Breeders Halter Futurity and if he did, I would receive a bottle of the "treasured Bradshaw Bourbon"  And, if he did not, I would send her some of the famous Hughes chocolates from Oshkosh, Wisconsin.  Well, guess what----"Bay Bourbon" as I nicknamed him, not only won one trophy at the BHF but he won three trophies besides being named Grand Champion Open Stallion.   After the futurity, Tammy told me she was sending the bourbon but I told her to wait until the AQHA World Show and we would extend out bet until then.  I thought I had a good thing going and could use more bottles of bourbon.  I tried to make her feel good about her loss by telling her that she and Terry were dieting anyway so winning candy would not be good for them.  Before  World Show, Terry decided to buy the colt I call "Bay Bourbon" and he changed his registered name from Xpectations to Mr Fabulous.  Unfortunately due to the Covid, neither Terry nor Tammy were able to attend the World  Show and of course, the "village" and I didn't go either.  If you don't know, My Fabulous became the AQHA World Champion Amateur Weanling Stallion and also the Reserve World Champion Open Weanling Stallion.  It is too bad that Donna Davis and Tammy and Terry were not there to get their pictures taken with him.  After the show, Tammy and I talked on the phone and she told me that she was sending my     "bourbon winnings"  I told her that I would also like to have an autograph on one of the bottles.   She said that she would have Terry sign it but I told her NO--------I didn't want Terry's signature, I wanted hers.   After all, as I am sure you know, their popular television show, The Bradshaw Bunch" has been renewed for another season and who knows----Tammy may become a famous reality star like Kim Kardashian.  I am not a hard liquor drinker ( Miller Lite is my drink of preference) but I am thinking of various ways to use this Bradshaw Bourbon.  I told Donna Davis that I bet it would be good over ice cream and she suggested bread pudding with a bourbon sauce.  As many of you know, I don't cook or bake so I told her that she should make the bread pudding and I would provide the bourbon topping.  Yesterday,  while watching "Official Terry Bradshaw", Terry had one of  the Breyer statues of their beautiful Appaloosa stallion, Intuit.   If you haven't seen it, it is awesome.  So, I started thinking about another bet with Tammy so that I can win a Breyer "Intuit" horse with both Terry and Tammy's autograph on it.   What a treasure that would be.

Click on pictures to enlarge.

November 24, 2020

Not only was Ted Turner, Jr inducted into the World Conformation Hall of Fame this year, he also won his 100th World Championship at the AQHA World Show.   What an honor for an outstanding horseman.   Let me tell you about my "experience" with Ted.   When I was younger, I would get the Appaloosa Journal and I followed the Appaloosa Horses.  In fact, my girlfriend and I when I graduated from high school drove all the way to Colorado and saw Bright Eyes Brother and visited with Cecil Dobbins.   And, guess where we slept at night---in the car in church parking lots.     I was quite interested in Appaloosas and even went to Oklahoma to see Dreamfinder.   Looking through those Journals back then, I would see pictures of Ted Turner showing Appaloosa horses and doing extremely well.  He showed several for Crown Center Farms and I did go there one time to see their horses, but that is a story for another time.   Ted was known for his "orange color"    When he was showing he wore orange and his blankets, trailers and everything were the orange color.   For years when we would go to the World Show, we  would make it a point to pass his stalls often so that I could eat the Reese's  Peanut Butter cups he had on the tables.   In 1996, Mike and I sold half interest in a stud colt by Mr Conclusion to Joe Edge with the understanding that Ted would fit and show the colt at no expense to us.   Well, that year,  Exclusivist became a Reserve World Champion and when he came out of the ring, Ted was approached with an outstanding offer for the colt.  I remember Joe and I going into the tack stall and him telling me the whole deal.  Needless to say, I was overwhelmed by the profit we made on the colt.   The following year, Joe bought the full brother to that colt with the same deal and I Am The Mr. became a World Champion and was sold for even more money than the brother.   When you see Ted at a horse show, he is all business.   But when you visit him on his ranch, he is the most personable person you could ever find.   A group of us girls toured the horse ranches during the time that we attended Terry and Tammy Bradshaw's  horse sale and Ted went out of his way to show  us  his beautiful stallion Ententions, who by the way, I was extremely impressed with.    He also showed us all the foals he had on his place and took the time to tell us about each of them.   As you would expect the place was immaculate----everything organized and in its place.    Another thing that I admire about Ted is even now, he takes full charge of the horses in his care.   You can see him out on his 4 wheeler ponying colts when you go there.   What a fitting honor for Ted Turner to be inducted into the WCHA Hall of Fame and also win his 100th World Championship in the same year.

Click on pictures to enlarge.

November 23, 2020

I took this picture of an eagle last week.   He evidently had judge eaten something as he has blood above his beak.

November 22, 2020

Isn't it sad that we sometimes lose touch with people who were good friends?   Brian Ellsworth called me a few days ago to tell me that Warren Ploeger from Schaller, Iowa passed away.   Warren was such an integral part of our horse operation.   He first came to our place with Homer Danielson when Royal Tailwind was a 3 year old.   He fell in love with the horse and called and bought him for the "mega-sum" back then of $40,000 to be paid over 3 years.   Not only did we get the money which we used to buy more land, but we also got 8 free breedings a year and $6 a day mare care.   That was before shipped semen so I spent my summers hauling mares back and forth between Neenah, Wisconsin and Schaller, Iowa.   I remember so well, staying at the Early Motel and joining Warren and Nancy at night to eat Schwans Ice cream and talk horses.   Warren was very successful with Royal----he bred 100 mares a year and the foals dominated the futurities.   After Royal Tailwind, he bought How D Roman and did equally as well with him.  Warren was an outstanding horseman.  I remember when he came  to our place and looked at 2 Ima Cool Skip fillies.   One was the better looking filly but he bought the other one because she was out of Miss Bunny Tardee.  I remember him telling me how important the dam of a horse is for a producing mare.   I think the last time I saw Warren was at the Breeders Halter Futurity in Iowa a few years ago.  I regret that I didn't keep in touch with him.

November 21, 2020

Well the AQHA World Show is over and I watched it on my computer from my office.  What a change from previous years when the World Show was one of the highlights of my year.   No more "village gatherings" eating at Charlestons, talking horse with new friends and getting to walk around the horses in the warm-up pen.   And to think that they showed halter at 10 o'clock at night.   Let's hope that next year things will be "back to normal" and I will be able to enjoy the show in Oklahoma City.   Let me tell you about our first showing at the World Show.   It was in 1981 and Mike and I had a pretty roan filly by Royal Tailwind out of Miss Gypsy Roan who was by Kay's Roan.   We were so excited.  We hauled the filly there with our good friend, John Shulz who was taking Reds Double Sonny to be shown.  The filly's name was An Elegant Lady.  John Lawrence who showed our foals in the futurities showed her in the weanling class.   I can still remember sitting with our little group and hoping she would place as it was a very large class.   At first I was happy when they didn't call her number but then when they got to 8th place, I really started to worry that she wasn't even going to get a ribbon.  And I was getting more and more discouraged as the numbers kept getting lower.   To my surprise, the filly got a 4th and we were overjoyed.   After all, being from Wisconsin and showing up with a "home-fit" filly was unbelievable to me.   When we got back to the stall, there was a couple waiting for us.  I remember they were a funeral director and his wife from Dallas.   We negotiated a price and he sat on a bale of straw in front of the stall and wrote the check.   Over the years, we raised several World Champions but that was the only time we actually hauled  a horse to the World Show.  I attended every  World Show from then on until I had surgery and had to stay home for a year.     Thinking back on 1981 and how happy I was to receive a 4th place at the World Show, I am sure many young people starting out will be able to relate to my story.   It is an honor just to show at the World and to even place is even more outstanding.

November 20, 2020

A few months ago, Dr Bob Story sent me this picture of a yearling gelding that he raised.   For those of you who know "Dr Bob" you know he is an excellent horseman and a great judge of horses.   We talked about the horse and how balanced he is and we both agreed that he was a really good one.   Well, guess what-----this past week BRT Send Me won two World Championships  What an honor for his breeder, Bob Story and also congratulations to his owner, Vernon Habighorst

November 19, 2020

What a great victory today for Larry and Anne Lemke and their yearling stallion, Cool Entension.   I am so happy for them.   Larry has come a long way from practicing his showing with Gabriel.  The Lemkes also have the honor of having the High Point Halter Gelding in the nation.

November 15, 2020

A year ago Leah Gloudemanns took this picture when she and Jeff were at the  Packer game.   Sad that today the stands won't look like this.

November 2, 2020

Cindy Buchanan and Terry Peterson posted these pictures of Three Bars (TB).   The first one is on him as a young horse and the second as a 6 year old.  It is amazing how much this one horse changed the "look" of our quarter horses.

October 31, 2020

If you see this little guy trick or treating at your door today, he prefers orange slices but you could send cookies home with him for me.

October 29, 2020

I always had great admiration for Bill Morris and as you know, I loved the Tardee Impressive and Impressive Dandy horses.   Bob Lee and I bred many mares to Tardee and one year Mike and I went to Canadian Texas  to visit the Morris's.  Bill and Sue tried to get me to eat "Rocky Mountain oysters" but to no avail.   Recently Pete Bowling posted a TRUE story about Impressive and it reinforced in my mind what a great horseman Bill Morris was.    I will recount Pete Bowling's story:
"So attending Texas A and M, my brother and I often looked for things to do on weekends that would take us from College Station.  On one of those weekends we decided to drive up to the Ada (thanks to Bob Standish) sale.  Walking into the sale I immediately noticed Frank Carlo and a couple of other guys from Virginia (John Tolbert and Stanley Cole) walking up so I introduced my brother.   About then, this guy walks up and Frank says "Let me introduce my new manager, Bill Morris (this was the first time I met Bill, who became a lifelong friend)   Bill tells Frank "Need to show you something.  I just saw the best baby colt I've ever seen in my life"    So Frank says "let's go see him"   We all go to this stall and look at this daughter of Lightning  Bar out of a daughter of Sugar Bars and her appendix colt by Lucky Bar.     A very pretty colt.  Then my friend, Frank Carlo, who owned Bar Flower makes a statement I have never let him forget.  "I already own the best son of Three Bars, what do I need a colt by a Thoroughbred son of Three Bars?"   While we stood there talking about him, Nick McNair comes and takes the two in one package to the sale ring where he no sales Glamour Bars and Impressive for $1750.    At this point, obviously no one knew of Impressive and little was I to know that several years later, I  was to have Lucky Bar and Glamour Bars in Virginia, first while working for the Jennings family and later when I went back into business for myself."

October 28, 2020

Darol Dickinson  posted an article and I find it a very interesting one.   Remember when we used to show horses with buck stitched halters?   Well, I was always "behind times" and when I was finally able to get my Buck stitched halter, things changed and we went to the "fitted halter" designed by Darol.   I am going to quote his article and also show you the horse he demonstrated it on---the stallion, Impressive.   
 " When I was working out the pattern for the "Fitted halter" this shot was taken of Impressive showing the way a halter should fit a Quarter Horse.  The historic sloppy halter pattern had been used on Man O War and draft horse breeds for years.   The Quarter Horses had a more brilliant head and it needed to be displayed.  I worked on this pattern and carried one with me on all photo shoots.   Here are the points to evaluate a correct fitting halter to make the most of a head. 
1) The nose piece should cut directly in the middle between the nose and the eye.
2) The horizontal jaw piece should cut halfway between the bottom jaw and horizontal between the eyes.  I should split the middle.
3) Where these connect should be a "T" hardware to form a perfect T.
4) Nothing should hang below the jaw or throat.
5) The ring below the ear should have such placement that the strap behind the ear "never" slides back on the  neck. 
6) No lead chain should show up the jaw.
7)  Lots of silver helps hide a bad head.  A great head is best displayed with minimal silver.
Darol said that it was very hard to explain this the quarter horse show people in 1970.  Now the pattern is fairly closely accepted.

October 25, 2020

I am alone today, just finished my chores and waiting for the Green Bay  Packer game.   As I sit her, I ask myself what has happened to us?   How did we go from a time that I grew up in when people were respectful of other people's opinions and happy when someone was successful?   The political hatred in our country has turned friends against friends and now even our  horse world has evolved into a place of jealousy and hatred.  Each of us have our own beliefs and likes and dislikes.  Donna Davis and I were discussing the "Intuit situation" yesterday and in the past people would be very happy for Terry and Tammy Bradshaw that Breyer chose their stallion for the upcoming model.  And I am positive that the children who receive that model are not going to question anything about it---they will just love and play with it.  I think the Bradshaws should reconsider and allow Breyer to use Intuit as their model.  I know that I will be one of the first in line to buy it and I am sure many of you will do the same.

October 23, 2020

What a wonderful surprise I received yesterday.   I think you all know how much I admire Rita Bang's artistic talent.   I have several of her paintings in my house and also have ornaments with Fred (Classically) and Rebecca (You Bet Im Cool) on my fireplace.  Well, now "little Gabriel", Rebecca's best friend can join the group.   I just love the Gabriel ornament and of course will display it with pride as it was done by one of my awesome friends.


October 20, 2020

Clueman----the breeding stallion.      Last week I told you about Clueman and his show career.  If you remember he was by Obvious Conclusion out of Miss Bunny Tardee by Tardee Impressive and he was HYPP HH.   Well, after Donna Davis retired him from showing, she decided to breed a few mares to him and Lanis Noble and I, who were partners in Exceptional Quarter Horses wanted to also breed to him.  Well----"Big Al" was not very cooperative.  I remember Donna calling to tell me that they had spend hours trying to get him to mount a mare and he would just lay his head over her and watch the birds and traffic.  Donna lives in Alabama and Lanis was in Mississippi so he decided to take a mare and check out the situation.   After all, he stood Speak of Me and bred 100 mares a year and whoever heard of a young stallion not wanting to breed.   Well, guess what----he was no more successful than Donna was.  So, Mike and I decided to buy the stallion back and bring him to Wisconsin.  We had stood Impressivist to over 100 mares a year for 2 consecutive years and we had an outstanding reproduction veterinarian in Dr Travis James Henry.  We thought "those Southerners" just didn't know what to do.  I remember Clueman getting off the trailer and how magnificent he was with all that size and muscle.  The next week, Dr Henry came out and we proceeded to the arena with the horse to breed a mare.  And, what did "Big Al" do?   He watched the cats playing in the hay mow and laid his head across the mare and wouldn't breed her.  Clueman probably has a total of 8 foals but those he did sire were good ones.  Quite a few people wanted to breed to him but we knew better than to accept them.  Our good friend, Warren Ploeger from Iowa brought Partys Foxy Lady and guess what---he did breed her.   Then Mary Ellsworth brought Lois Layne and Sue Ann Supermann.  Dr Henry researched and we decided to try chemical ejaculation.  What is consists of is giving the drug, Imiprimine followed by an injection of Xylazine two hours later.  I still laugh about how we crawled down the barn aisle and watched and waited.  The surrounding had to be dark and quiet for it to work.  Well, it did work once and we were able to get Sue Ann Supermann in foal.  After that we did not have much luck with the procedure.  Then there was the mare, Prophetic Win.  Dr Henry was bound and determined to get her in foal.  Well, Clueman finally decided to "try" and the mare kept walking forward.  Dr Henry tried everything to keep her quiet and finally resorted to biting her ear.  That is how Miss Carri Clu got the name Henrietta.  We had decided Big Al wasn't interested in breeding but I really wanted to get Sonnys Lucky Te in foal to him.  She was a Superior daughter of Sonny Dee Bar out of a Tardee Impressive mare.  We decided to wait until she was in heat and put the two of them together in the front paddock for the day.  Well----Al was more interested in eating grass.  When she would back into him he would just turn his head and eat somewhere else.  We never did get her bred.  I think the reason that he was not an aggressive breeder was that he was HH and so heavily muscled that he would get sore over his loins when he would mount a mare and he decided that it was not worth the pain.  Although he was HH, we did not have to medicate him.  In fact, he lived to a  ripe old age and foundered.  Despite the pain he was in from founder, he still did not have HYPP attacks.  We ended up having to put him down but I will never forget "Big Al".

October 19, 2020

Many of us have dreams but most of us  never do anything to fulfill them.   I have a really good  friend who had a dream to move from California to Kentucky and no one thought she would ever do it.   Well, Grace Berton is that friend and she is living her dream in Kentucky.   Let me tell you a little about Grace.   She has raised good horses all of her life.   In her younger days, she stood Sir Raleigh and also owned Western Impressive and Leo’s Otoe.   Grace is probably best known for owning  Sir Cool Skip.  In 2017, I was with Grace and my other friends at the AQHA World Show when the filly she raised and sold to Ted and Sandra Lincoln  became a two time World Champion.    Now,  let me tell you how I met Grace.   It was at the AQHA World Show sale in 1993.    Mike and I went to the horse show and there we met Dudley Pillow.  Mike, not being interested in horses, toured OKC while Dudley and I attended the sale.   Grace was there with 2 yearling fillies, both by Imperial Snips.   Both Dudley and I were impressed with the fillies and started talking to Grace.  One of the fillies was the third to the last horse in the sale and she sold for $13,700 to Jim McKillips  who bought her for Percott Corporation of Beloit, Wisconsin.   Most of you know that Jim is an outstanding horseman and able to pick  a “good  one” and the filly went on to do really well and Jim resold her  later for a nice profit.  From that time on, Grace and I have been great friends.   She owned Berton Quarter Horses, a  horse ranch in Petaluma, California,  in the Napa Wine Country.  When the Kentucky Incentive Fund started, Grace leased a place in Kentucky and moved Sir Cool Skip there to stand.  After the Kentucky Incentive Fund  slowed down, she returned to California but the dream of living in Kentucky never went away.   So after her father died, she put her Petaluma place on the market.   She thought she had it sold once but California has some strict laws and they found some endangered species living a few miles from her so the land could not be tilled for raising grapes and the potential “wine maker” did not buy it.     Finally this year, the right buyer came along and she sold the 80 plus acres.   I asked who bought it but she doesn’t even know as the realtor was sworn to confidentiality    So, during the negotiations, Grace flew to Kentucky and found her “dream place” which consists of 171 acres in Sweeden, Kentucky.   She finalized the deal as soon as her California place sold.   So I asked her, “Grace, what are you going to do with all your horses”?   Now, Grace is a “breeder” and she still has about 18 daughters of Sir Cool Skip along with granddaughters and so forth for a total of around 65 head of horses.    She told me she was going to take about 50 of them to Kentucky.   Well, she now has all but one load there and she ended up taking 65 horses.   I talked to her yesterday and she was about 2 hours from her new “home” and was exhausted.   She, herself made 3 trips hauling  horses and TL De Leon hauled 4 loads.  Equine Express also hauled some of them.   For those of you who know Grace, she always has her dog with her.   Well, sadly on the last trip, her dog got killed and she told me she could not travel without a dog.   So what did Grace do?   She immediately contacted  the humane society and went “dog shopping”   She found one she liked but it had health issues and she did not think with everything else she could handle medicating a dog.   So she told me it was 5 o’clock and she drove to another city where the shelter closed at 6 and she  fell in love with a dog.   The workers said she could  not adopt it because the female had not been neutered.  Grace was leaving the next day so she had them call the manager and he came down to the shelter and when he was looking through the dog’s folder, found that the dog had been spayed and up to date on her vaccinations.  Therefore,   Grace was able to adopt her.   So, when I talked to Grace, she and "Phoebe" were “close to their new home in Kentucky.      I had Grace send me a picture of the dog and she loves her and the feeling is definitely mutual.   So, for those of you who think you are too old or too set in your ways to follow your dreams, just think about Grace Berton  and maybe just throw caution to the  wind and do it.   I am guilty of complacency.  I get very comfortable in my surroundings and even though I dream about going to visit here or there, it is just too easy to stay home.    Grace should be a lesson to all of us.

Click on pictures to enlarge.

October 17, 2020

In keeping with the "Obvious Conclusion story" I posted last week, let me tell you about my experience with breeding to him.   In 1994, I decided to breed Miss Bunny Tardee to Obvious Conclusion.  Those were the days before shipped semen so my good friend and horse hauler, Dale Hempel hauled her to Katy, Texas where he stood at Woods Quarter Horses.  Dale also hauled her back when she was in foal.  The following year "Big Al" who we named Clueman was born.  What an incredible foal he was.  He had so much body and cut muscle and I just had to breed her back and try for a filly.  This time I decided to send Coolness, a daughter of Ima Cool Skip and her foal along and Dale was to drop them off at Beverly Bingamans  in Pilot Point, Texas to be bred to Sierra Te.   Everything was fine----he dropped Coolness and foal off and proceeded 5 and a half hours to Katy, Texas with Miss Bunny Tardee and foal.  That is when things got interesting as Miss Bunny Tardee didn't want anything to do with the foal, whereas Coolness was fine with the one she had.  It was then they realized that the foals had gotten "mixed up" in the trailer (I supposed they crawled under the partition) separating the mares.  Poor Dale had to drive all the way back and get the right foal with it's dam and take the other to Woods Quarter Horses with Miss Bunny Tardee.   Clueman tested HH at the time when HYPP had just been discovered.   Several people wanted to buy him for a lot of money while he was at Katy, Texas but they were afraid of his HYPP status.  He and Miss Bunny Tardee came back to Neenah, Wisconsin and when he was approaching his yearling year, Donna Davis decided to buy him.  The trip to Silver Hill, Alabama was something else.  The hauler took him from Wisconsin to Maine and then to Florida and finally to Alabama.  I think he was on the trailer without being unloaded for a week.  And he never had an HYPP attack.  Donna fit him and showed him extensively during his yearling year.  He was never beaten and won every futurity he was entered in.  I remember getting the phone call after she showed him and I would ask her how he did.  She always told me he won and was Circuit Champion.  He was so mature and he looked like a 3 year old instead of a yearling.  I still have a video taken at Dixie National and Clueman was first with Donna showing him, followed by Jerry Wells and Wayne Halvorson.  I can't remember the placings after that.  "Big Al" as everyone called him developed a fan club as a lot of people loved him.   There were several trainers that were interested in fitting him for the World Show and Donna finally agreed to send him to one of them.  Neither Donna nor I could believe it was the same horse when we saw him in Oklahoma City.  His big massive body was gone and he looked like a greyhound.  The trainer's excuse was that he wanted him to look his age instead of like a 3 year old and he wanted to get his neck thinner.  Before I got there, Donna told me that the thing that sticks most in her mind was when a couple who were some of his biggest fans asked her what horse that was.   Well, he still did great and was Reserve World Champion to Statuatory.  Several people told us that the fact that he was HH had some impact on the results as the "whole world" including the judges knew his HYPP status and AQHA was preaching against HH horses.   This story is getting pretty long so I  think I will continue it in the very near future with Clueman's breeding career.   Believe me, it is a very interesting story.

Click on pictures to enlarge.

October 15, 2020

I just had to share this story that Cindy Buchanan posted.   I am sure all of you know that Cindy was the one who bought Obvious Conclusion as a foal.      "The Quarter Horse Congress was pretty good to Obvious Conclusion!    1982 Yearling Halter Stallion Futurity Winner, 1983 Grand Champion Stallion.   Some great memories all around but in 1983 we put Clue on Stallion Avenue as well as showed him and went Grand.  It was two of the best weeks I ever remember while showing horses.   I met so many great folks having him on the avenue.  When we would take him out in the aisle and stood him up, the crowds that gathered cause a fire hazard warning that prompted the Congress officials to rope off a section down on one end of the hall to allow for safe viewing.   Clue was masterfully shown by Jerry Wells and back then the halter was judged by one person-----Karl Krueger was that judge in 1983.  The line up for Grand that was a "who's who" of greatness for the years to  come.  Starting with the weanling was Conclusives Choice, Yearling, Mr Conclusion, Two year old Obvious Conclusion, Three year old Zip to Impress and aged, Kelo.   Karl came back to pick Grand and judiciously studied each horse carefully.   He backed up and walked up and down the line on profile and then took a big circle around the entire group at a pretty good sprint----then very dramatically pointed at Jerry and Clue for Grand.  That moment was pretty great!!   After being there on Stallion Avenue for almost three weeks, fitting him daily with long lines at the booth and waking up at 3 AM to get him in the arena when things were quiet, we were all pretty worn out.  The last chore of leading Clue through the closing ceremony for the parade of Grand Champions fell to me as Jerry and Betty Wells had headed home to Oklahoma.  Music was playing and the horses were led in spotlighted in a dark arena.   I don't think I ever felt as apprehensive about having hold of a 1400 pound horse in front of a large, loud crowd.  The minute we got into the arena and started across I could feel Clue bow up and quickly relax and fall in place like it was something he had done a million times.   He was a good one and it was an honor to be part of his story"    Cindy Buchanan.

October 13, 2020

Several years ago I came across this list of stallions entered in the All American Quarter Horse Congress Yearling Stallion Futurity. For those of you who know me, I am a pack rat so I have saved a lot of old "treasures". Many of the stallions on this list became famous in their future years at stud. Mike and I took Royal Tailwind there, well, I should clarify that. Patty Pronold, was a young girl helping Dean and Marge Achtenhagen who owned Mr Tailwind and she was preparing Royal during his yearling year and showed him there for us. Patty is now Patty Campbell and she is an accomplished trainer and also a real estate broker in Texas. I remember we stalled under the overpass in outside stalls. Mike and I were so excited but unfortunately the competition was too tough and we did not place near the top. When I originally posted this list and wrote about it, I made the comment that in my opinion the days of the huge futurities are gone. But I think I have to change my thinking. With the advent of the Breeders Halter Futurity, the World Conformation Halter Futurity and the Big Money Futurity, I see the number of horses showing growing. I think this is such a plus for our industry and commend the people who started these programs. Karen Kennedy was a "God send" for the Breeders Halter Futurity and Don Falcon for the other futurities. Their dedication and work, have made these futurities what they are today. I look forward to next year when this Covid is over and I will be able to attend and enjoy watching the futurities and visiting with my friends. It is one of the things that I really am excited about for next year.

October 10, 2020

Today I am posting a picture that my Australian friend Jackie Hardwicke took of Acoolest when he was being shown at the World Show.   Acoolest is sired by Coolest and out of Attest who was by Touchdown Kid out of Cash N Clue by Obvious Conclusion.   He is NN and both of his parents were NN.   Rita Crundwell raised and showed him.  I remember seeing his dam, Attest at the Oshkosh, Wisconsin horse show when she was a 2 year old.  Jim McKillips showed her to me and  I loved her.  Her profile  was awesome and there wasn't much I would change about her.  I also saw her dam, Cash N Clue and loved her too.  Acoolest certainly came from a great line of quarter horses.   I don't know if he is still alive and I have heard he is no longer in the USA.

October 9, 2020

During the last week, I had written about gray horses and I realized that I no longer own one.   So----guess what:    Yesterday Joe St Clair and I made a trip to Lake Geneva and brought "Flicka" home.  First of all, let me tell you about Flicka.  She is very old and made of wood with a real mane and tail.  Over the last few years, I have gotten several things from Linda Becker but had never met her.  She told me that she had bought the horse from the Wrigley Estate many years ago.  For those of you who don't know, the Wrigley Estate is located in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin and was the summer home of the Wrigleys, the chewing gum magnets and also the owners of the Chicago Cubs.   The estate sold in 2018 for $11.25 million dollars.  Yesterday was such a good day for me.  Joe and I drove to Lake Geneva where we met Linda Becker, Jc Heiberg for lunch at Mary Mancini's beautiful home.  Then we drove to Beloit where we visited Jim McKillips and also got to see our good friend, Kandi Loker.   We had such a wonderful time and we all agreed that Linda is a permanent member of the "Village"   Not only is she a great girl to be around but she brought us all plates of her famous turtles and cookies.  I had to "steal this picture of the treats" from her FB.  They were so beautifully decorated but I couldn't find anyone who had not taken the wrapper off and eaten them.   LInda Becker did something yesterday for a mutual friend of ours  that I can't stop thinking about and it makes me so happy.  She is the type of person everyone needs in their lives and I am so happy she is now in mine.

October 6, 2020

Today let's look at one of our modern day stallions---CK Kid.   My friend, Jackie Hardwicke from Australia took this picture of him in the aisleway of Danny Salsman's barn when he was standing there.   The horse passed away in 2016.   CK was born in 2001 and was sired by Touchdown Kid and out of Just One Look Mr. by Mr Conclusion.   He was a World Champion as a 2 year old and was owned at that time by Chip Knost.  His breeder was Brinkman Ranch of Texas.  Chip sold him to Terry and Tammy Bradshaw after he won the World.  The Bradshaws eventually sold half of  him back to Baxter Brinkman.   His daughters are proving to be great broodmares.

October 5, 2020

A few posts ago I posted pictures of Shanes Lady Romantic owned by Terry and Tammy Bradshaw and their produce.   I asked Rosalie Dahlof Carlson if she had any "home taken" pictures of Tee Jay Roman and she posted pictures of him as a yearling and as an older horse.  She also posted several of his produce and a very neat story of how she got How D Nifty Dude for her daughter.    For those of you don't know, Rosalie is the daughter of Howard Dahlof who owned Tee Jay Roman.    I am sure all you "horse history buffs" will enjoy seeing these pictures.

October 4, 2020

For those who don't know Leah Gloudemans, she is my "right hand girl" at the farm.   For years she worked for Mike when he was a senator and when he retired she helped out here.   Over the years she has become such an accomplished photographer.   Some of you have followed the beautiful pictures she posted of her "365 day photo challenge" and have seen how talented she is.   Well, a couple weeks ago while she was here, I handed her my camera and she took this awesome picture of Wilma (Classically Kool)    I guess it just takes someone with a natural talent for photography because after all these years I am still using the "automatic mode" on my camera.

October 3, 2020

Today I am going to tell you about a mare that Terry and Tammy Bradshaw now own.  Her name is Shanes Lady Romantic and she is a 20 year old NN  daughter of Skips Shane out of How D Romantic by Tee Jay Roman.   How D Romantic was a full sister to How D Poco Lynn and How D Billie Jack, all of them being out of How D Jacklynn and sired by Tee Jay Roman.  I remember when Dudley Pillow bought the mare from Howard Dahloff and he was so excited to get her.  Many of us remember How D Poco Lynn and Dudley told me he liked this mare better because she had a pretty head.  Dudley had to leave the mare at Dahloff's because they wanted to keep the foal she was carrying by Zips Dude.   HIs name was How D Nifty Dude and he accumulated 255 points and became a AQHYA Champion.   Dudley loved Romantic and Donna Davis showed a real good colt out of her and Ima Cool Skip.   When Dudley died, Lanis Noble and I bought two gray mares from his estate, one of them being Shanes Lady Romantic who was sired by Skips Shane by  Ima Cool Skip.   We did an embryo transfer on Romantic and recovered an embryo and I didn't give the mare a prosto shot as it was late and I didn't plan to breed her again.  One day, Bob Luebker came running in and told me that there was a filly in the stall with the mare.  Evidently she had an embryo that we did not recover with the flush and being so deep hearted did not show her pregnancy.   The filly was huge and I eventually traded Lanis out of her.   Lanis named the filly Malibukini since she was sired by Malibu Ken.  "Juliet" as we called her produced 3 beautiful foals for us, Excepionally,   Sterring and Move Over Darling.   Shanes Lady Romantic also produced Twice the Romance who in turn produced Telorah Lu by RF Testar.   Telorah Lu is the dam of WhoIsIt, the young NN stallion by Hesa Secret Agent owned by Dewey and Tami Smith.   It just goes to show what a great producing family of horses this is.   I hope the Bradshaws can get a foal out of Shanes Lady Romantic and Telesecret.   It should be a good one.

September 28, 2020

Cindy Buchanan  who owned Obvious Conclusion also worked for Sam Wilson for a number of years.   She had the opportunity to be involved with many great horses.   She posted this picture of Skipa Starlet, who was a 1974 full sister to Skipa Star.  They were both by Skippers Lad and out of Pats Dusty Star by Barry Pat Star.   The photo was taken at Jim Senkbeils' place in Grand Island, Nebraska.   He later sold the mare to Diamond Head Ranch .   She was the dam of several nice foals including Mr Crowd Appeal  (by Impressive) who was the 1982 World Champion Weanling Stallion.

September 21, 2020

Another great story from Cindy Buchanan:  "From the pastures at Brock, Texas (right outside of Weatherford) two of my all time favorite horses.   In the foreground is the best mare I ever raised, Obviously Special, a 1985 mare by Obvious Conclusion out of Kidnaps Special by Kidnap Bar out of Lady Dondi. She is in her pasture condition and not the best photo but no doubt in my mind the best mare.  She was never shown because I did not need another opinion---that's how much I liked her.  There are other better pictures that will validate my statement but the coolest part of this photo is who is looking on from the corner pasture.    Connie Coed, 1969 mare by Connie Reb by Sugar Bars out of Crotons Pay Day by Croton Oil.  She was the 1972 AJQHA World Champion Aged mare and had 368 halter points.  Connie had lived out her retirement with us after I bought her at the 1990 World Show Sale.   She had been consigned by Diamond Head Ranch from Nebraska.  Connie was 21 at the time and supposedly in foal to a World Champion son of Impressive.  I had always loved this mare and had been by her stall several times to see her before the sale.  She always had a blanket on and there was always an excuse as to why they couldn't take her blanket off right then.  The truth came as they finally pulled the blanket off to lead her through the sale ring to reveal a poor starved World Champion mare that they should have been ashamed of her condition.  Several women standing around her including me cried when they saw the bony great mare standing before us.  I paid $1650 for Connie and she came home with me.  (Not in foal as it turned out)   Connie had gone through the same sale years before for $55,000.   She never had a colt for me but she lived out her life fat and loved well into her 20's.  Bottom photos Connie is shown by Matlock Rose but she was shown by Laura Cotter and Mary Aspegren for most of her wins.

September 20, 2020

I am going to call this picture "Motherly Love"   Leah Gloudemans took it of Rebecca (You Bet Im Cool) and Gabriel, the donkey.   Rebecca is 20 years old and she has "adopted Gabriel"   We had to cut half of the stall wall down between them so she can see him at all times.   I don't know what I would do if anything ever happened to him.  If you notice, Rebecca's left leg is a bit swollen  I was a bit worried about it and we kept it wrapped and iced it for a while but it has since gone down.   If you remember she injured the meniscus last fall and consequently lost a lot of weight but she is slowly gaining it back.

September 20, 2020

My friend, Cindy Buchanan, who owned Obvious Conclusion and also worked for Sam Wilson who owned Skipa Star posted this interesting story and I thought you may like to read it.   Lt me tell you what she said.   One of the greatest Skipa Star mares of all time was Skipadette.   She was a 1987 mare  by Skipa Star our of Intimidette by The Intimidator out of Jay Kay Cordette by Skippa Cord.  She was owned by Marge Napier, a good friend of Cindy's.  Intimidette was a three time Reserve World Champion,  Superior Halter and the dam of many champions.   This mare had as long a hip and coup as anyone could ever hope for.  Cindy says that when she looks at this broodmare photo of her, she is struck by the similarity of Skipadette and Ima Cool Skip as both are were by Skipa Star and out of Impressive bred mares.   Skipadette lived to the ripe old age of 26 and was the center of Marge's horse program for many years.  Skipadette was always a "diva" and one of Cindy's favorite stories is when she kicked the back door of Marge's 2 horse trailer out on the way home from the World Show one year----Marge left her "non-horsey" husband holding the mare at a gas station while she drove to a nearby welding shop to get the door put back on.    Show pictures are of her as a yearling with Marge and Dave Page and as a two year old with Margie.

September 17, 2020

I want to thank Thea Wickersham,  Keri Copp, Laurie Lorenz and Erin Matte for streaming the Breeders Halter Futurity for us.   You don't know how much I appreciate it as I am not there this year.   Now, after watching those exciting classes, it will soon be time to get my bowl of popcorn and my Diet Dew and curl up on my couch to watch the Bradshaw Bunch, the new series which debuts tonight at 8 o'clock central time.   I am sure you won't want to miss it as Terry and Tammy Bradshaw and their daughters promise a very entertaining show.   I will be anxious to hear your reactions to it.

September 13, 2020

Today is the first Green Bay Packer game of the year and guess who they are playing?   The Minnesota Vikings in Minnesota.   To be honest, it doesn't even seem like football season with no fans in the stadium.   I hope the excitement of football will come back.  It is a shame what has happened to our world and hopefully eventually things will go back to the way "they used to be"    Fred (Classicall) is still demolishing his purple ball.  Let's hope the Packers do the same today to the Vikings.

September 7, 2020

Pebbles (Cool to be Classic) this morning.  She is 2 years old and sired by Fred (Classically) out of Bonnie (CJ Miss Cool Tardee)   She is the only NH mare that I own.

September 4, 2020

I am so lucky that I found Craig and Amanda Sandmire Volp, nutritionists for Doctor's Choice, the company that provides me with my  Equishine  products.  They have totally revolutionized my horse program over the years.   Let me relay to you to you some of the information from an article that Craig just published in their flyer.    "As horse owners,  we all try to do what is best nutritionally for our horses.  We go to the feed store and scrutinize the different feed tags and listen to what other equine professionals promote as the best feed for your horse. After we have done our research, we feel that we have done the best job we can.   However, forage is the largest component of the equine diet, which makes it the biggest variable in the diet.  Forage quality is something you need to know as it  makes up at least 80% of their diet.  If you do not know the quality of the hay you are feeding, you know very little about your horse's diet.  There is no way you can determine the protein content, mineral content or calorie content by visual inspection.  If you want to balance your horse's diet, it is important to have your hay tested.  A forage analysis is very inexpensive and can be done at a qualified lab near you. There are a lot of feed products and supplements that are designed for horses with metabolic issues.  The advertisements claim that be feeding these products everything should be okay---that the sugar and starch levels are low.   While this may be true for the grain, unless you know the carbohydrate level in your hay (which makes up the majority of the diet)  you really don't know anything."    I am amazed how much variance there is in the hay that I have sampled off the same field from year to year and cutting to cutting.

August 30, 2020

As the Breeders Halter Futurity gets closer and closer, I am trying to make a decision whether I should go or stay home.  The futurities and the AQHA World Show are the highlights of my year as far as horses are concerned.  And, if the Covid-19 didn't exist, there would be no stopping me from attending.   I love studying the foals sired by various stallions, talking "horse" with old and new friends, getting my hug from Vic Sanders,  going to Wade Yager and Heather Olson's and seeing the great mares they have for sale and laughing and having fun during dinner with "the Village".  I think many people make their stallion choices from seeing the foals at these  shows.   Those are the positive things that make me want to go.  And then  on the other hand, I think  "am I willing to risk getting the virus due to the number of people who will be there? "   At my age and the fact that my  horses and place depend on me to take care of them and  I am so looking forward to being around to see the foals that I have coming next year, I just don't know if it is worth the risk.  I love the fact that the World Conformation Horse Association and the Big Money Futurity are on line.   I wish the BHF would be on line also.   Yesterday, I watched some of the East Coast Halter Futurity as some of the attendees showed the classes "live" on the computer and I thought maybe we could hire some people to stream it live from their phones.  I know that I would be willing to chip in to  pay people to do this.

August 28, 2020

Cindy Buchanan posted these home taken pictures of Obvious Conclusion as a 2 year old and I thought you may like to see them.

August 27, 2020

Yesterday I finally got away from home. Joe St Clair  and I met Mark and Vicki Vicki Brilley Livasy at Mary Mancini's home in Lake Geneva.   My sister Cindy L Stebnitz lives in Delavan and she was able to join us.  This is the first time I have gone anywhere other than the grocery story, drug store, appointments or shopping for horse supplies and it really felt good.   I had promised Vicki months ago that I would meet her when she came to Wisconsin  to pick up her two adorable weanling miniature horses.   Well, we made a day of it.   I had never been to Mary Mancinis home and believe me when I say it is absolutely beautiful and it even  has it's own separate apartment.   Mary being the hostess she is had  lunch for us and of course, you know who ate the cookies and brownies.   We then went to Mona Marie Hodkiewicz  where we picked up Oliver, the weaning mini colt.  From there we followed the Livasy's  to  Jamee L Golan-Bornsteinin's in  West Salem, Wisconsin.   I don't know if you remember Jamee but she was a major player in the Quarter Horse industry until an accident prevented her from riding.   Jamee  is still the 4th leading breeders of AQHA World Show winners.   She owned a stallion named Mosby who was by Leon Bars by Three Bars (TB) out of of a daughter of King.   Mosby was the sire of 36 World and Reserve World Champions including Acadamosby Award who is the only horse  that won the Super Horse Award at the World Show 3 times.   Not being able to ride didn't stop Jamee  from her love of horses and she switched breeds to Miniature Horses.    She raises and trains them herself and has achieved many many Championship awards.   We were amazed at the "miniature horse playpen"   where she puts the minis  through their paces.   Her Appaloosa miniature  stallion is a many times champion and also the sire of the filly that Vicki Brilley Livasy bought.  Jamee  also had a filly named Tinkerbell  and I fell in love with her.  She was just like a "dog" and I could see myself owning her but I would be 4th on the  the list of people if she decides to sell her.   The only regret of the day was that I didn't call Linda Becker and have her come and join us.   I have never met LInda in person but have admired her and her "projects" for a long time.    I guess we are just going to have to plan another trip.

Click on pictures to enlarge.
 

August 23, 2020

Bob Luebker is working overtime at the mill today so I am doing my chores alone and doing a lot of thinking while cleaning stalls.   As many of you are, I am a devote follower of  "Official Terry Bradshaw" and love watching the videos  his wife Tammy Bradshaw posts.   Well, Tammy convinced Terry that the two of them should take a trip and tour the good ole western USA.   I really enjoyed seeing to the wonderful videos they posted, like the Black Hills and Yellowstone National Park.   Of course, listening to Terry made it so very enjoyable.     I don't know how many miles they covered but it was a lot in about a week.  It has been two years since I lost Mike and their trip made me think of him and how selfish I was.   So many times he wanted to get in the car and tour the country but I was always so occupied with the horses and never wanted to leave.  I wish now that I would have done that.   I guess the only trips we ever took were to look at horses.   Years ago I traded a mare for a timeshare on the Florida Keys and we went to Florida.  I found out that I am not someone who  can sit on the beach and enjoy the water.   In fact, I was totally bored on the second day and I guess that is what started my aversion to traveling.   Looking back, I do regret it and wish I would have traveled more so that he could have seen all the beautiful things that our country has to offer.  He always told me that before he met me, the only place he had traveled to was Washington one time but we did tour quite a bit looking at horses.


August 22, 2020

As we have talked about in the past, time goes by so fast.   It is hard to believe it has been 6 years today that we had to put our dog, Molly to sleep.  This is the "story of Molly."   Mike and I had lost our dog and we would see Rita Crundwell when they would come to show at our Oshkosh Wisconsin shows.  She kept telling me that we couldn't be "dogless" as we have not children.  As you know Rita had the best and she had some beautiful dogs.  When her female Corgi had a litter she gave us a female puppy and of course Mike and I fell in love with it.  Unfortunately there was something genetically wrong with it and after we had her for about two weeks and multiple vet visits, we ended up putting her to sleep.  Mike said "NO MORE DOGS" as it is too heartbreaking when you lose them.  Well, you know me----Rita volunteered to give us another puppy when the next litter was born.   Well, while she was at a horse show, whoever was taking care of the  dogs at home evidently whoever was taking care of them let the Corgi out with her male miniature Australian Shepherd and didn't tell anyone.  Of course, she was expecting purebred Corgi pups and when the litter was born, they were definitely not Corgis.  She told me that I would not want one as they were "mutts" and that we could have one from the next litter.  I decided that I should get one anyway and she sent me pictures of the litter and told me I could have my pick.  I chose the one that I am posting a picture of.  Mike and I picked her up at Robbie Schmitz's place in Fond du Lac.  I remember the first time I saw her she was following his big dog trying to navigate through the snow with her short legs.  Molly as we named her became like a child to us.  She went everywhere we did and we had to take the car on every trip we made because we didn't want to leave her home or with anyone.  Mike would pick up food for him and Bob Luebker at McDonalds and the girls who worked there named Molly "Blue Eyes"  as she would go with him and sit on the console next to him.  Molly was the smartest dog we ever had.  Our friend, Richard Kaufmann called her a $10,000 dog as we had to take her to the animal referral center twice----once when she ate antifreeze and then again when she ate too many pork bones and couldn't digest them.   Both times it was "touch and go" but she survived the ordeals.  When she was a puppy she got kicked by a horse which was probably a blessing as she respected them after that and never got kicked again.  The only time she would bark at the horses was when we  had people visit and I was showing them the horses.  She was very jealous that she didn't get all the attention.  Both Mike and I were devastated when we had to put her to sleep because of cancer.  We decided then and there not to get another dog as the sorrow of losing them is just too much.   A funny thing about it is that back in the year 2000, Molly was considered a mutt and now a dog bred like her is a "designer" dog called an Augie and they are quite expensive.   I know now that I am by myself I should get another dog, but each year I think I get stronger in my conviction not to get one.

August 17, 2020

Ten years ago today, we put Miss Bunny Tardee to sleep and every day when I come out of my house, I look at her monument and think back about all the good times and memories I had with her. She was born in 1986 and was sired by Tardee Impressive out of Bunny Nightshade by Sonnys Nightshade by Sonny Dee Bar. She was my “once in a lifetime” mare and I am so happy that I have Rebecca (You Bet Im Cool)  and Fred (Classically) to carry on her heritage.  was lucky to get two  beatiful palomino fillies out  of her other daughter,  Bonnie (CJ Miss Cool Tardee) before having to put her to sleep this year.   “Tardee” was bred by Homer and Clark Danielson of Iowa and when Homer brought her dam to Neenah, Wisconsin to breed to Impressivist, I realized that even though the filly at her side was only a week old, she was the kind of horse I liked. The Danielsons bred her dam to Tardee Impressive as a 2 year old and she had Miss Bunny Tardee as a three year old. The filly was small but she was so compact and had a lot of muscle. The Danielson’s also had a filly by Impressivist out of Pandarita Three that they were very excited about. That filly, was Grand Champion filly at the Iowa Breeders Futurity in 1986 and Miss Bunny Tardee was 4th. Now, in my opinion there was no comparison in fillies. The Impressivist filly was a big growthy filly, very classy but little Miss Bunny Tardee was the better filly. As a yearling Miss Bunny Tardee came into her own. Several big time trainers wanted to show her; however, she hurt her eye and Homer took her to Iowa State to have it fixed. She ended up getting an infection in it and as a result, they ended up having to remove her eye. The Danielsons then decided that they would breed her as a 2 year old to Impressivist. They did that and the next year when she was 3 years old, they brought her here to foal and the filly she had was born with heart problems and had to be put down. Of course, having that mare on our place, made me want to own her. I was able to work out stud fees and “secret money” that Mike didn’t know about and finally ended up with her. I could spend all day just looking at that mare and it was amazing that she had grown from a small first baby into a 15.3 massive mare. At that time, you had to haul your mares to get them  bred and I bred her to Noble Tradition, Mr Conclusion, Obvious Conclusion, Kid Clu and Ima Cool Skip. Finally when shipped semen became available, it was much easier to get her in foal  I then bred her to Ima Cool Skip and Kids Classic Style.  She was a great producer for me and two of her foals were World Champions. Her last and final baby was Fred (Classically) who was an embryo transfer. As much as I loved this mare, I am thankful that I still have two  of her offspring to remember her by. The picture of her that I am posting was taken when she was 24 years old.

August 11, 2020

Look who got a treat this morning-----Fred (Classically) "finally" got his Kent Equine Choice vitamin, mineral tub and he seems to be really enjoying it.   Debbie Jowett ordered them for me months ago and Joe St Clair was finally able to pick them up and bring them to me.  The only problem was that while in the back of Joe's truck they got drenched with rain so they are a bit messy to handle.  Fred doesn't seem to mind though.

August 7, 2020

A short while ago I posted a picture of Impressive as an older horse at Faulkner Ranch.   Here he is at the Congress the day he was sold.

August 2, 2020

I just finished watching this incredible movie on Netflix.   I would definitely advise all you horse lovers or even those of you who don't like horses to watch it.   I loved it.

August 1, 2020

Yesterday, I had a phone call from Jaleen Hacklander and she told me to guess what she found.   Well, I had no idea but when I got Gabriel, the donkey from her, she told me he had "papers"   I have had the donkey for 2 and 1/2 years and had no idea of his age or his "real" name.   It is almost like an adopted child finding out who his parents are.  Gabriel's "real" name is TLA Cracker Jack and he is now 13 years old.   He was born in Corwith, Iowa.   Jaleen told me that when she got him, he didn't look like a Cracker Jack and because he raised her orphan Arabian foal, she  started calling him Gabriel.   I think you know how much both Mike and I love this donkey.   He first came to our place when the recipient didn't accept the foal out of Rebecca (You Bet Im Cool) and Hesa Secret Agent.   When CharlieO left, he was the companion of Pebbles (Cool to be Classic)    Well, now he has an even more important job-----Rebecca (You Bet Im Cool) has adopted him and cannot handle not seeing him.  We had to cut the wall between stalls halfway down to please her.  I am having a little trouble lately.  When the two of them are outside, Gabriel has discovered that he can crawl under the board fence.  As you know, grass is always greener on the other side of the fence.   That is not good as Rebecca gets all worked up when he leaves her and she is not supposed to run with her torn meniscus.    Bob Luebker put a low wire between the bottom board and the ground, so hopefully that will deter him.

Click on pictures to enlarge.

July 30, 2020

It looks like my horses will be able to eat this winter. Jack Cowling with the help of his daughter Stephanie Cowling Lenz' son combined my oats today. My horses do very well, in fact they are probably too fat, on oats, hay and Equishine, a vitamin-mineral supplement that is made in Wisconsin and Amanda Sandmire Volp brings to me. If you look close you will be able to read the writing on the boy's shirt. That is the way our farmer's think.

Click to enlarge pictures.

July 29, 2020

It looks like Betty is adjusting well to her new home and life in Germany. She must be a "star" since she has a star studded fly sheet on.
 

July 28, 2020

Betty (My Secret Luv) boarding the plane for her trip to her new home with Marko Kaiser and Judith Kaiser in Germany. She has even learned how to say “Alf Weidersehen” to all her USA friends.

July 24, 2020

I thought I would also post this "memory" that Scott Kelly wrote about Mike. Scott worked for him in the Senate and was also a great friend.

Scott Kelly wrote on July 20, 2018:  I have so many Mike Ellis stories, that I thought I’d share some of the more interesting ones...I don’t know how true they all were...I have some more personal stories on Twitter @thescottkelly He said he grew up in Dogtown (on the island) in Neenah. One side of the railroad tracks was the nice/wealthier side. He grew up on the wrong side of the tracks. Literally. Early in his Assembly career (with the GOP having like 34 seats) being the hotshot he was, he tried a pulling motion or something like that to get the Dems to take a bad vote. It backfired on the GOP. He went up to the front row to explain to the GOP leader. The leader was Tommy Thompson. Before Mike could make it up the aisle Tommy yelled “Learn the F@#&! * rules, Ellis” a and threw a copy of the Assembly Rules at him. During the 1984 Presidential campaign, Ronald Reagan came to Appleton. Ellis met Reagan on the tarmac, being the lowest ranking official he was last in the greeting line on the totem pole. So into the motorcade they go, and the get out at the Paper Valley. They do the line in reverse. Reagan walks in, sees Mike and says, “Hey, there’s a familiar face.” And Mike responds “ya, i know you too. Your face is familiar, but I can’t remember your name.” The picture below is Reagan laughing at it. He became GOP a Senate leader in 1989 after Susan Engelieter lost her election for US Senate to Herb Kohl. Mike and someone else were jockeying for the position, and Mike had the votes. Engeleiter probably would have had the votes to come back as leader, and Mike told her he would defer to her. But Mike also had three of his friends tell Engeleiter that if she ran, the other guy would get their votes (which wasn’t true). This meant Engeleiter wouldn’t have the support to be leader. So she called Mike and offered her support for Mike to be leader. And when Mike left the Capitol for the last time. He strolled out singing: "Give me land, lots of land, with starry skies, above. Don't fence me in." He sang the whole song. And he was happy. I could go on for days with all the stuff I know and learned because of him. I could almost write a book. Which I asked him to do.

July 23, 2020

This last week has been extremely hard for me as on July 17 two years ago, Mike and I would have celebrated our 49th wedding anniversary. And then a week ago tomorrow, July 20, was the day I lost him to a massive heart attack. I have struggled to get through this week and then a few days ago a good friend and neighbor, Curtis Daye posted this memory. I don't even remember seeing it at the time----I must have been in such a daze. It was a tribute to Mike done by Wisconsin Eye. Just hearing his voice made me miss him even more. I know that Mike would not be able to handle the political climate in our country today. He was always the voice of the people, believing that government should give power back to the people. I am going to post the video and for those of you who knew him, you will recognize the "real Mike Ellis"  https://www.facebook.com/WisconsinEye/videos/10157703128515200/

July 19, 2020

Imagine my surprise this morning when I looked at Face Book and saw this awesome drawing of Bonnie (CJ Miss Cool Tardee) and Betty (My Secret Luv) I think it is an incredible work done by a Neenah friend , Larry Stelow. Now Larry is not one of us "horse nuts" but he is an outstanding artist who retired from Sales and Marketing at International Papers. Let me tell you a bit about how I know Larry and his wife, Cindy. Every time Mike and I would see them, Mike would always call Cindy, Josephine Buss' little girl. Josephine was Cindy's mother and Mike used to kick Cindy out of the Neenah pool when he was a lifeguard. I think this picture hit me really hard this morning as you know I recently had to put Bonnie down and Betty is flying to her new home in Germany with Marko Kaiser and Judith Kaiser. You do not know how much that picture "touched me" when I saw it. Larry has named it "Mother's Day" What an appropriate name for such a beautiful work of art.

July 18, 2020

Rebecca (You Bet Im Cool) 20 year old NN mare by Ima Cool Skip out of Miss Bunny Tardee by Tardee Impessive.

July 4, 2020

"Molly Ellis" The best dog anyone could ever have----at least Mike and I thought so.

July 3, 2020

It has been awhile since I posted on "Throwback Thursday". I was thinking about the stallions standing at stud today and thought back about the stallions we stood over the years. First of all there was Bar Fly Bailey, a gray son of Flying Bar Fly who I bought off the race track when I was in Montana. He had run AAA and I actually made him an AQHA Champion. I had him when Mike and I got married and a few years later sold him for the massive sum of $15,000. Back then, we thought it was a lot of money and we bought 15 acres of land with it. It seems like when I sell a horse, I meet some new great friends. Kay Moody from New Mexico bought him and Kay and I stayed in contact for many years. In fact we sold her several colts by him. After Bar Fly, there was Royal Tailwind. He was by Mr Tailwind out of a double bred King Black mare. We bought him from Dean and Marge Achtenhagen as a 3 month old baby. My father lent us the $35,000 to pay for him. We had 3 fillies by him the first year and Warren Ploeger from Iowa came with Homer Danielson to see the horses. After seeing the foals, Warren offered $40,000 for the horse to be paid over 3 years. Now, that was a lot of money to us and Warren also gave us 8 breedings a year at $5.00 a day mare care. That was before shipped semen. I spent my time hauling mares back and forth between Neenah, Wisconsin and Schaller, Iowa. Sometimes I would make 2 trips a week by myself. I always stayed at the Early Motel and Warren and Nancy became great friends. At night we would sit at their house and eat Schwann's ice cream and talk horses. The next horse we bought was Impressivist. We bought him from Homer and Clark Danielson as a weanling and my father again lent us the $40,000 to pay for him. I was able to sell a couple of Royal Tailwind mares and we paid him back in 3 months. Impressivist was a very pretty stallion by Impressive out of a Mr Tailwind mare and his colts dominated futurities. We bred over 100 mares a year to him for 2 consecutive years. I remember when the first mares arrived (that was before shipped semen) I assumed they would get in foal and leave after 14 days. WRONG-----------I never considered that some wouldn't settle the first time or that owners would leave them here a lot longer. We had to add portable stalls to our machine shed and shelters. After a few years we were approached about selling the horse. Through this sale, I met Lanis Noble from Jackson, Mississippi and we became great friends. After that the horses we stood were "home bred" Azzari was a son of Tardee Impressive out of Trouble Yes by Mr Trouble Step. Bob Lee and I became partners and bred several mares to Tardee Impressive and Azzari was one of the resulting foals. Bob and I eventually did some "horse trading" and he got a gorgeous palomino filly and we got Azzari. Bill Morris and Bill Edmundson came to visit and fell in love with Azzari. We decided to send the stud to Bill Morris' in Canadian Texas. Dudley Pillow and I went to see him during a World Show and Dudley offered to buy half interest and take him to Mississippi to breed his mares. After a few years, I decided to bring him "home" Azzari was quite a character. He would tease a mare that we had tied in the arena and then before he would breed her, he would roll in the sand behind her. Carri Ehrich from Iowa contacted us about buying him and they came of the coldest day of the winter to look at him. We came to an agreement and he moved to Iowa. Carri loved the horse but unfortunately he died a few years after she had him. The next stallion was Clueman or Big Al as we called him. He was an HH son of Obvious Conclusion out of Miss Bunny Tardee by Tardee Impressive. We sold him to Donna Davis as a weanling and he won every futurity she showed him in. He was a 2 time Reserve World Champion. After his show career, we brought Al back to Wisconsin to stand him at stud. Donna told us that the horse wasn't interested in breeding.  Well, we discovered that for ourselves. He would watch the cats in the haymow and it took him forever to mount a mare. There are very few colts by him but those that were, are good ones. We ended up having to put Clueman to sleep---not because of him being HH but because he foundered. Next was Exceptionist, an NN stallion for by Touchdown Kid out of a daughter of Clueman. Donna Davis bought half interest in him as a baby despite the fact he was injured. My Australian friend, Jackie Hardwicke approached me about buying him for a customer and sending him to Australia. He became very popular in Australia and Lanis Noble, Donna Davis and I decided to buy him back and stand him at Chip Knost's place in Aubrey, Texas. He bred quite a few mares and one day Chip walked out in his barn and found the horse dead. that I thought would be the last stallion I was associated with -----but then along came Fred (Classically) the last foal out of Miss Bunny Tardee and Kids Classic Style. So we took the big plunge and with the help of Joe St Clair, Bob Luebker, Leah Gloudemans, Katie Samuelson and Dr. Katherine Fox. Mike and I stood yet another stallion. After losing my wonderful husband two years ago, I really didn't breed him to many mares. He is kind of retired like me/ I loved standing stallions and through it, I met many new and great friends. I wouldn't change anything about my chosen life with horses. I have posted pictures of the stallions with information on each picture.


Classically by Kids Classic Style out of Miss Bunny Tardee by Tardee Impressive.

Click on pictures to enlarge.


Bar Fly Bailey a AAA, AQHA stallion by Flying Bar Fly.
Image may contain: horse and outdoor
Royal Tailwind by Mr Tailwind out of a double bred Kind mare..

Impressivist by Impressive out of Miss Sabre Wind by Mr Tailwind.

Azzari by Tardee Impressive out of Trouble Yes by Mr Trouble Step.

Clueman by Obvious Conclusion out of Miss Bunny Tardee by Tardee Impresssive.

Exceptionist by Touchdown Kid out of Cool Ms Tardee by Azzari.

June 29, 2020

Vicki Livasy posted this picture of the "Village" (well part of them) at Toby Keith's in Oklahoma two years ago. We were attending Terry Bradshaw's sale and of course had to enjoy some good food and drinks. It is so sad how things have changed. I hope that we will be able to get back to times when we all get together and enjoy the things we love.

June 28, 2020

Today I am going to tell you something that doesn't involve a horse. In 1953 , my father bought my mother a 1953 Buick Skylark convertible. There were only 1690 of that model made that year. The following year he traded it in on a 1954 Buick Skylark convertible which was robin blue with blue leather interior and a lot of chrome including the tail fins and the spoke wheels. There were only; 836 of those cars manufacture. When I graduated from college, my parents wanted to buy me a new car and I told them I would prefer they bought one for themselves and I take "old Blue" I never realized how valuable that car was. Over the years, the body stayed good but some of the other features stopped working. I drove it while I was teaching school. Eventually the heater broke so I bought a small heater that ran on kerosene and put it on the passenger's side of the front seat. After Mike and I were married, we continued to drive the Skylark and the radiator started leaking so we carried water with us so we could fill it so it wouldn't overheat and put plywood on the floor where it was rusted through. Finally it got so bad that the reverse gear quit working so we had to be sure when we parked it we had enough room to do a Uturn or we would be stuck. One day, someone stopped us and offered to trade us a used Checker station wagon for the car. It was like heaven driving a car that had everything working but little did we realize what we gave up. A few years later, Mike and I were out with a couple from Neenah who collected old cars and restored them. I told him we had traded the 1954 Skylark for the Checker and he told me that if I could get it back, he would give us $50,000 for it. He said it was a valuable collector's car. Unfortunately the person who traded with us knew the value and we never found it. Today if you check some of the auction sites you will see the same year and model selling for over $150,000. I guess if we all knew the value of what we once had, we would appreciate it more. But then most of you have owned things that you got rid of thinking they had no value only to find out later they did. I am a "pack rat". Mike always told me to get rid of things I don't use but who knows. Maybe some of those things will be worth as much as the old Buick Skylark. I am posting a picture of the 1954 Buick Skylark.

June 25, 2020

"Polly " is in full bloom. She is a bit late this year due to the weather we had. Let me tell you a story about this beautiful plant. Years ago, Mike and I with Molly our dog, of course, drove to James Kifer's horse sale. Our dear friend, Lanis Noble met us there and we looked at all the horses. Lanis asked me which one I like the best and Jim and Georgia Snow had a gorgeous daughter of Obvious Prophet in the sale. And she was in foal to Kid Clu. Mike and Molly were sitting in the car ready to leave. Mike was studying his political papers for the upcoming Senate session. I told him I just wanted to say good by to my friends so I was sitting with Lanis and Karen Sartain when the good Prophet mare came in. Lanis said "Why don't we buy her?" and of course I said yes and he started to bid. Well, he didn't quit and we paid "$42,500 for her. I hated walking back to the vehicle to tell Mike and of course he thought I was kidding. And he wasn't very happy with me. The next year "Patty" foaled probably as good a filly that was ever born here. We called her "Polly" and when she was 3 months old she broke her leg running in the mud and we had to put her down. It seems as though those things always happen to the good ones. At that time I had foaling cameras on the internet and through them I became friends with a lot of people. One of them was Roseann Albert who lived on the East Coast. The day after Polly died, this beautiful plant arrived and I have had it ever since. It is between the headstones of Miss Bunny Tardee and Molly, our dog. Every morning I look at it when I walk out my door. It is sad that it only blooms once a year but when it does, it is so beautiful. Such good memories and so many wonderful people I have become friends with over the years.

June 24, 2020

Not much prettier than looking at nice mares in the pasture at sunset.

June 23, 2020

I know what mothers feel when they send their children off to college. Last night I sent Betty (My Secret Luv) off to quarantine so she can fly to Germany to be with her new owners, Marko Kaiser and Judith Kaiser. As I told you before, if I knew I was going to lose her dam, CJ Miss Cool Tardee (Bonnie) I never would have sold her last year. I guess I just became more attached to her because she was here so long due to the corona virus. She is a little over 13 months old and stands over 15 hands at her withers and over 15.2 at the hip. She is going to be a big girl like her full blood sister Wilma (Classically Kool) Ashley Koeller of MJK Hauling sent a huge trailer to pick her up and Marko Kaiser got her a box stall. It was 10 o'clock at night when the trailer arrived. Now, I doubt if Betty has ever been rained on, however, the trailer would not fit down my driveway so we had to load her on the road in the dark. As I led her down the driveway to the trailer with all its flashing lights, I told myself, no matter what if she doesn't get on that trailer, I am not sending her. I guess she wanted to go, because she hopped on the trailer like she had done it a million times. Needless to say, I didn't have much sleep last night. Although all it is doing is raining here, I was able to take a few pictures of her yesterday.

Please click on pictures to enlarge.

June 21, 2020

Fathers Day----a day we set aside to honor our fathers. I grew up in the small town of New London, Wisconsin and had great parents. I guess it just didn't enter my mind that other children had abusive fathers, fathers who abused alcohol , even abused them, and some who didn't even have fathers. I must have been pretty naive back then. All I know is that I was one of the lucky ones who had a father who instilled great values in me. I learned to treat people the way I would want to be treated and to respect others. He also taught me to be frugal ( or as some say, cheap) I learned to save my money and not spend it on each and every thing that came my way. I am thankful for the wonderful childhood I had and I know many of you have had a great childhood too. I don't know if children being born in this day and age will ever have the chance to experience the things that those of us of my age group did and that is a shame.

June 20, 2020

I just watched Tiz the Law win the Belmont Stakes in New York. Watching the race almost brought tears to my eyes. Just a handful of people in the stands, no cheering and yelling, and when they played the song New York, New York sung by Frank Sinatra they showed downtown New York with very few people on the streets. So sad what our world has come to.

June 16, 2020

Pebbles (Cool To Be Classic) NH 2 year old filly by Fred (Classically) out of Bonnie (CJ Miss Cool Tardee)

Click on pictures to enalrge.

 

June 15, 2020

"My girl" Wilma (Classcially Kool) 16.2 NN mare by Fred (Classically) out of Rebecca (You Bet Im Cool)

June 14, 2020

All horsemen know how important good hay is to raising horses. Last year it was a terrible year for hay---we just couldn't get it baled without getting ruined by the rain. Well, hopefully this year it will be different. I am so lucky to have wonderful neighbors who help me with my crops. Jack and Karen Cowling along with their sons, Joe Cowling and Greg Cowling have been a "godsend" to me. The state has decided to change the direction of the road in front of our place and run it across the field across the street. They plan to start it on July 1 so I called the Cowlings to see if they would bale the hay on that land before they start,. Well they did, and as usual the weatherman was wrong but this time it helped. They were able to get the hay in the barn with no rain. It is beautiful grass hay and the horses love it. Having modern equipment is wonderful as I don't think our outdated equipment would have been able to finish in time. Yesterday, Jack came and cut the field behind our place and Bob Luebker used our old fashioned haybine to cut the pasture so the mares will be able to graze on it soon. So, on June 13, all of our first cutting hay is cut and hopefully we will get it baled later this week. What a wonderful feeling it is.

Jack Cowling cutting hay.

Click on pictures to enlarge.


Greg Cowling tedding the field.

Jack Cowling raking the hay.

Joe Cowling making big bales of hay. Jack also make me 2 loads of small bales.

Jack Cowling---he and his wife Karen Cowling are the ones who "saved me" when I was knocked down in the shelter and would have frozen to death.

Greg Cowling on the left and Joe Cowling on the right. Such handsome boys and they are not afraid of hard work.

Bob Luebker cutting our pasture so we can turn the mares out on it. Notice the difference in our hay cutter and Jacks.

June 13, 2020

Snapped a quick picture of Fred (Classically) today just so you know he is still alive.

June 13, 2020

An old memory popped up on Face Book and it made me think about how Face Book has changed my life. I have never been very “computer literate” and the thought of doing something like corresponding with people on the internet was not even in my thoughts. But someone convinced me that I should and I truly have enjoyed the many friends, both old and new that I have found over the years. One in particular is Linda Boyce Banks. She and her husband Joe came into Mike and my lives and I had lost contact with them for many years but through FB, we “found” each other again. Let me tell you the story: In 1966, I had just gotten started in registered quarter horses and I found a gorgeous yearling palomino mare at Dean Landers in Iowa. My father bought her for me for the sum of $3500.00, which was a lot of money back then. My parents owned the Rainbow Supper Club in New London, Wisconsin so we named the mare Rainbow Gold after the supper club.

I was so proud of her and showed her at the quarter horse shows and did very well with her. She was sired by Smarty Cat by Hard Twist and out of Matts Blondie who was a Silvertone bred mare. In March of 1975, I decided to place an ad in the back of the Quarter Horse Journal and sell Rainbow. Linda Boyce Banks from Virginia called me and we agreed on a price and also that Mike and I would deliver her to Williamsburg, Virginia. Back then, I would sell horses and our vacations would be delivering them. I remember we drove out east and were so excited to see historic Williamsburg. Well, as we usually did, we were in a hurry and drove right past the buildings and never stopped to see them. That was the first time we got to meet Linda and her husband Joe. What wonderful people they were and we have remained friends ever since. After delivering the mare, we decided to drive through Washington DC. I can still remember the traffic as we were from little old Wisconsin and we had never seen traffic like that. We cruised past the White House pulling our two horse trailer and Mike, being a political junkie anyway was in heaven. On a little side note, he had to go to the bathroom and there was nowhere to stop so he got in the trailer and went. From then on he would tell people what he did in front of the White House and we would all laugh. To be honest, that was the only time in my life that I have been to Washington DC.


Well, back to Rainbow Gold------when Joe and Linda bought her, she was in foal to What A Bonanza and she foaled a beautiful palomino filly the following May.  That filly went on to have a great show career. The Banks even flew Bob Hembrook who owned What A Bonanza out to Virginia to show her in the Virginia Quarter Horse Futurity, where she placed second. I kept in touch with Linda and in 1976, Mike and I met Joe and Linda in Kentucky for the Tattlersall Horse Sale. I remember the wonderful smell of the cedar shavings and seeing some great horses sell. There was a full sister to Trouble Step that I fell in love with but couldn't afford and my husband would have killed me if I bought a horse. The reason for meeting in Kentucky was that we pulled a new Roadmaster trailer there that Linda and Joe had bought. (another reason for a vacation for Mike and I) We kept in touch with the Banks and in 1977, Joe and Linda made the trip to Wisconsin to visit us. While here, I sold them a stud colt by Skip Beware out of Jakes Jewell. We had a great few days and I took them to Fort Atkinson to see What a Bonanza and visit Bob and Bonnie Hembrook. Now, that was quite a place at that time. Bob was a super salesman and everything was named "What a This and What a That" I remember his tractor had a name on it called "What a John Deere" From the Hembrooks we traveled to Dean and Marge Achtenhagen"s to see Mr Tailwind. We spent quite a bit of time there as I loved the look of the Tailwind horses. At that time, I picked a colt out of a mare named Katie Blue who was a double bred King Jacket mare. We ended up buying him later and we named him Royal Tailwind.. He went on to become a great paint and quarter horse producer. Linda and I kept in touch for quite a few years and then just kind of stopped communicating. All of a sudden, on Facebook, I heard from Linda again and we have become close friends again. I guess it just goes to show that Face Book really is a great social network and that old friends are still the best friends

June 11, 2020

It has been a very hard week for me. After exhausting all procedures, last Thursday, I finally made the decision to have Bonnie (CJ Miss Cool Tardee) put down. She came in lame last fall and she proceeded to get worse. Believe me, we tried everything to make her comfortable. Dr Katherine Fox and Dr Sarah Peters did ultrasounds, xrays, laser, injections, shoeing and finally they nerved the one foot. However the other leg was so sore in the ankle and nerving would not have helped it. I tried many times this year to get an embryo out of her but to no avail. I think she was just too sore to get in foal. One thing about Bonnie, even though she laid in her stall most of the time, if you brought food she would get up to eat. And she loved her pain pills in apple sauce twice a day. I would put her outside for about half an hour every day so she could eat grass but with the bugs coming, she was getting more ready to come back in the barn under her fans. She had a great 19 and 1/2 years. She was born here, went from here to Carri Ehrichs as a weanling and from there to Joanna JoAnna Stricklin and finally back home to me 3 years ago. All of us girls loved "Big Bonnie" as they called her as she was over 16.l hands and had all sorts of muscle. She was sired by Ima Cool Skip and out of Miss Bunny Tardee by Tardee Impressive. Her 20 year old full sister Rebecca (You Bet Im Cool) is still with me but she tore the meniscus in her stifle last fall . She is doing pretty good except she is quite thin. I don't know how long I will still have her. Bonnie left me with 2 beautiful palomino fillies, both by Fred (Classically) The two year old Pebbles ( Cool to be Classic) is NH and the yearling Betty (My Secret Luv) is NN. Betty is going to her new home in Germany. I never would have sold her if I knew I would lose Bonnie but I am happy she will be living with Marko Kaiser and Judith Kaiser. I took these pictures of Bonnie last Wednesday when I put her outside on the grass to eat for a little while. As you all know it is heartbreaking to lose one of your "family" and these horses are like children to me.

June 7, 2020

This has been a hard last few days for me, and since the weather has been so nice I have been taking more pictures than I normally would. Yesterday, my subject was Wilma (Classically Kool) She is the result of trying to intensify the conformation of Miss Bunny Tardee by breeding Fred (Classically) to Rebecca (You Bet Im Cool) Both of these horses are out of Miss Bunny Tardee but by different stallions. Wilma is NN as both parents are. She stands a good 16.2 and her muscling is between that of her parents. I love her and look forward to the foal (hopefully filly as Georgia Snow promised) by My Intention next year. I think this will be a great out cross as it still adds a bit of Tardy Too to the pedigree as the sire of My Intention, Playgirls Conclusion is out of a Tardy too mare. We shall see.

June 6, 2020

Isn't this a wonderful time of the year? A robin built a nest on my front porch and I was able to get a picture of one of her babies. I think the "little guy" is hungry with his mouth open.

37 years ago today the city of New London, Wisconsin honored my father for 50 years of medical service to the area. It was quite a celebration including a horse drawn carriage ride to the event and the hall was packed with many of his friends and patients telling “stories” about him. My dad was my “hero” and I idolized him and want to think I got my work ethic from him. His father was a blacksmith and dad had to work to put himself through college. He graduated from the University of Wisconsin Medical College and back then, doctors did everything. By that I mean that he was a family practitioner, surgeon, eye doctor, hearing doctor and also dispensed medications. He even went to some classes and could hypnotize people. I have some of his old Journals in which he kept a “diary” of what practices he did every day and I find it very interesting. It is hard to believe that in those days, doctors sometimes saw 100 patients a day besides performed surgeries and delivered babies. I remember our phone would ring all hours of the night (there were no answering services back then) and dad would get up and go on a call. I would love to ride with him and sometimes I would sit in the car listening to “The Shadow” and other radio programs while he attended to the patient. When Mike and I got married, dad bought us Royal Tailwind and then a few years later lent us the money for the big purchase of Impressivist. That is when horses were bringing good money and we were able to pay him back within a month for Impressivist by selling two Royal Tailwind fillies. With Fathers Day just a few weeks away, I only wish that I had appreciated all the things he taught me while he was still alive like I do now. I guess as we get older, some of the lessons we learn as young people become more important.

I am sure I inherited my "love of horses" from my dad. He loved riding Trigger. His father was a blacksmith and dad worked very hard to go to college and medical school. I remember him telling me that he had saved $100 but that in Madison he went on a date and spent quite a bit. He never let that happen again. I think I got my "frugality" from him.
 

June 4, 2020

Impressive out of Miss Sabre Wind by Mr Tailwind. He was very good to Mike and I. We bred a lot of mares to him before selling him to Lanis Noble in Mississippi.

June 4, 2020

Guess who is going to Germany-------Fraulein Kaiser (ala Betty or My Secret Luv) is going to her new home. Marko Kaiser called me when the filly was a few days old and asked about buying her. I told him that I would test her and if she came back NN, I would sell her to him. "Betty" is by Fred (Classically) and out of Bonnie (CJ Miss Cool Tardee) and she is going to be a big girl like her full blood sister, Wilma (Classically Kool). She was born in April but is over 15 hands already. The plans were to export her last year but then the Corona Virus hit the whole world and she has been here since birth. I am going to hate to see her leave but Marko and Judith Kaiser will give her a great home and the opportunity to excel as a show horse and eventually a brood mare. If you remember, they bought Cookie (Move Over Darling) from us and they love her. Leah Gloudemans and I tried to take pictures of her today despite the bugs. They are not the best pictures but I think you can see the quality of this filly.

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Click on pictures to enlarge.

June 1, 2020

Happy birthday to a great friend, Joe St Clair/ I cannot even remember when I first met Joe. Many years ago, he worked for John Schulz who owned Schulz Concrete in Neenah and who also owned Reds Double Sonny. Sonny was high point pleasure horse in the country and Joe started him. We remained friends for many years. After he left John Schulz he started a halter horse program for Dr Dennis Briggs and bought him some outstanding horses. Then we lost touch and he went to Arizona to be a "cowboy" and cook for some big ranches. One day, a few years ago, I was in my front yard and someone showed up. When I looked up, there stood Joe St Clair and he started helping us again with the breeding and working with the horses. Since then, he went on his own and now manages Big Daddy Quarter Horses. I am happy that we are still great friends and have known each other for so many years.

May 31, 2020

In 2014 Dennis Macarthur delivered this orange tree from him and Lorna Revord. I do not have a "green thumb" so I am proud that I have been able to keep it alive all these years. Last year, Kimmy Biggar and Mark Biggar, my wonderful neighbors transplanted it into a bigger pot and I keep it inside all winter. I just wish it would make some oranges like it did the first year. I guess I will have to find it a "boyfriend" to pollinate it.

May 31, 2020

Beautiful day in Wisconsin, no bugs, no wind, no humidity and sunny. Wilma (Classically Kool) NN 16.2 plus mare by Fred (Classically) out of Rebecca (You Bet Im Cool) enjoying motherhood even though she is not carrying her foal by My Intention.

May 27, 2020

Picture taken today, May 27, 2020 of Rebecca (You Bet Im Cool) 20 year old NN mare by Ima Cool Skip out of Miss Bunny Tardee by Tardee Impressive and her "shadow" Gabriel the donkey. I think she considers him her baby.

May 21, 2020

Look who is taking it easy this beautiful spring day---Fred (Classically) resting in the sun and enjoying his girlfriends.

May 16, 2020

What could be prettier on a beautiful Wisconsin day than watching mares graze in the pasture.

May 14, 2020

When Mike was still alive, he took great pride in keeping our place looking nice. I think he spent more time on the lawnmower than he did anywhere else during the summer. We have a pretty big place to keep mowed and it is very time consuming. I don't know what I would do without Bob Luebker and Leah Gloudemans but there are not enough hours in the day to get everything done. Mike's brother, Mark Ellis has been a Godsend. Not only has he been coming out and cutting grass but he also brings me home made chocolate chip cookies.

May 12, 2020

When my good friend, Jim Duncan passed away recently, his wife, Betty sent me a book I had given him. A book that he loved and we talked about the sayings in it many times. The name of the book is "Dad Always Said" and it was written and illustrated by Bill Moomey. I knew Bill years ago when he owned Coys Bonanza . I also bought a weanling filly from him. Her name was Chiquita Bonanze and she was a full sister to What A Bonanza. Unfortunately she had one fault which kept her from being a top notch show horse and that was she had off set cannon bones. It was a good lesson for me and believe me, it is one of the first things I look at when evaluating a horse. Mike, my husband often met with his wife Sandi Moomey in the State Capital when he was a Senator. Recently through Face Book I have reconnected with Bill and Sandy who now live in Arizona. I think you will enjoy some of the quotes from the book and I know you would love the illustrations if you are able to find a copy of it. I am going to list some of the quotes that I find applicable to our "horse world" today. I hope that listing them will not confuse you. "Dad always felt that one of the truest expressions of friendship was when a horseman bought lunch for someone who didn't have a judges card" And as for horse shows, he said "The way people complain about the judging it's a wonder that they don't put the spectators inside the rails and let the judges sit in the stands, since apparently you can see so much better from there" He said "Ain't it funny how people always seem to win under the smart judges and get "politic ed out by the dumb ones" Dad said "Ain't it funny how every horse-shoer that you talk to knows how to straighten your horse's feet except the shoer you've been using" Dad always said " Fact is winning a blue ribbon is about the only way a lot of people know whether they've got a good one or not" In fact, "Those same people will pay twenty or thirty thousand to a trader for a horse that they wouldn't buy from their neighbor for a thousand." In fact, Dad said "best way to sell your horse is to spread the word that he is a little too high priced for the average horseman" One of my favorite quotes is "And some folks will tell you that an ugly head on a horse doesn't matter cause you don't ride that part. But, as Dad always said, "It's too bad you don't ride it. Then you wouldn't have it hanging out there in front of you where you have to look at it all the time" In fact, you hear people say they don't care what a horse looks like as long as it can do something. But, as Dad always said, "Trouble is nobody ever notices that you're doing it unless you're sittin on a good looking one. Dad said "Putting a thousand dollar saddle on a four hundred dollar horse is like trying to cheer up the inmates on death row by giving their cells a fresh coat of paint" He also said "People seem to be a lot more upset about a bad colt crop than they are about the dams and sires that caused it" He reasoned that if baby colts outgrow their bad heads, ewe necks and crooked legs, like the traders tell you they will,, then somebody must be shippin a lot of ugly old horses into this country." Then he also said "Before you give away that skinny little filly that you've hid out behind the cow barn, take another look at the hostess down at the Sunset Cafe and think back to when she was runnin around town with a runny nose and sandburrs in her socks" And he said "if you're disappointed that your colts never seem to "come on" until after the futurities are all over, remember---they're going to be old a lot longer than they're going to be young" Another thing---when you're bragging about your horse's pedigree, you're only talkin about what someone else's horse did" Most owners won't send a horse out for training until he is fully mature. As Dad said "It's too bad they don't apply the same standards to the trainer" There are many more of his quotes in his book "Dad Always Said" If you can find a copy, I advise buying it. Bill Moomey is not only an awesome horseman and marketer, he is also a wonderful artist and writer.

May 10, 2020

Mother's Day----a day we set aside to honor our mothers. This is a picture of my mother and my grandmother in front of the Rainbow Supper Club which we owned in New London, Wisconsin. The picture was taken in 1971. Both of these strong women have been gone for a long time, but sometimes I like to sit back and remember the good times we used to have. Times when there was no quarantine and no modern technology. Times when our fun would be playing baseball in the middle of the street, playing hop scotch on the sidewalks, riding our bikes or our horses for miles to visit friends. These were times when the big thrill of the week was to go to the movie theater on Saturday afternoon with $.25 as the movie costs $.15 and you had two nickles left for candy bars. I don't think kids today realize just what they missed. I remember always walking to school and meeting my classmates along the way and then walking together, spending every day at the swimming pool in the summer and at the ice skating ring in the winter. We had curfews when we had to be home and it better not be 5 minutes late. Back then, you never thought of anything changing or your parents being gone. If we had, perhaps we would have cherished those times more and our parents more. I know I would have.

May 9, 2020

Rebecca (You Bet Im Cool) 20 year old mare by Ima Cool Skip with Gabriel, who I truly believe she thinks is her baby. She cannot stand to have him out of her sight. I am posting this picture so that Jaleen Hacklander and Laurie Lorenz can see the svelte shape he is in. And, if you don't believe it, just check out John Kreider's mini donkey.

May 5, 2020

I don't know what I would do without my wonderful friends. Let me tell you how some of them really stepped up to make one of my dreams come true. As you know, I have been trying to get that "illusive embryo" out of Rebecca (You Bet Im Cool) for quite some time. And, in doing so, I had not bred her daughter, Wilma (Classically Kool) Well, on April 3, I started thinking that Wilma was getting older and who knows if I would even get an embryo out of her mother. Besides that I had a recipient mare that would be timed perfect with her. So, at the last minute, I called Jim and Georgia Snow to get semen from My Intention. I fell in love with him when I first saw him at Russell McIntosh's as a baby. Not only is he a great stallion, but he also has Tardy Too on his sire's side. Since it was way past the deadline, I thought they probably wouldn't have any semen left and I was right. It was almost noon when Georgia called and told me that Jim would collect "Big Red" again and send me semen. So, the next day, my wonderful veterinarian, Dr Katherine Fox came to deep horn inseminate her. But when we checked the recipient she had already ovulated, making her unacceptable for Wilma's embryo. Joe St Clair, who has always been a great friend of mine, told me he may have a mare that would work and that I could use her. So, Dr Fox drove all the way to his place and checked the mare but she was not in heat. However, there was another mare that was timed perfectly. So, Joe delivered "Patty" during the week. Let me tell you about Patty. Her name is Tickytackypattywacky and my good friends, Mary Mancini and Kathy Sheahan bought her at Rita Crundwell's sale and they named her. l She was born in 2012 and she is a pleasure bred mare by Invest in a Hot Star by Blazing Hot out of Regally Invested by; Invitation Only. Not only is she big, but she is also a great mare to be around and has had 1 foal. Well---that brings us to "embryo transfer day" which happened to fall on Easter Sunday. Bob Luebker and Leah Gloudemans were both at their other jobs so we did not have enough help to do the embryo transfer. Jen Corcoran, a longtime friend of both Dr Fox's and mine and Bailee Fox, Dr Fox's daughter came and the four of us were able to flush Wilma. What a great feeling it was when we got a grade 1 embryo out of her. The four of us (well three as Bailee was the designated driver) celebrated with a bottle of wine. We saved a bit for checking to see if the embryo made it but Dr Fox's husband, Lance Stevens Fox found the bottle in the refrigeration and decided he needed to celebrate the event too. Bailee, who is majoring in photography and videography did a short video of the "ultimate Easter egg hunt" Today, May 5, Wilma's "filly" (Georgia Snow told me they only sent fillies) is 30 days old and "she" has a strong heart beat. I know it is a long time until birth but it really gives me something to look forward to next year. By the way, I am saving Terry and Tammy Bradshaw's bottle of Bradshaw Bourbon for Rebecca's embryo.

Watch our fun, click here!

May 3, 2020

Mike Ellis loved to travel. When we met, he had only been out of Wisconsin one time. Well, that changed when he met me. I found out that a lot of people didn't like to hire professional haulers to pick up their new horse purchases. So, I would offer to deliver them at the buyers expense, only charging actual costs for gas and motels. After Mike and I were dating for a bit, I sold 2 horses to some great people who lived near Detroit Michigan. I asked him if he wanted to go along to deliver them and he did. We took my old Trailet 2 horse trailer and my father's 1954 Buick Skylark and drove to Michigan. Since I didn't know him that well, and evidently he was not award of how much I like to eat, we never stopped once for food. Upon getting there, we got separate rooms (of course, that was the way it was back then) and about an hour later he showed up at my door with 2 candy bars. Then the next day, I starved all the way back to Waupaca Wisconsin before I finally said, "why don't we stop at that Dairy Queen and get some ice cream" Needless to say, I ordered a huge malted milk. After we were ,married, we took many trips delivering horses and I always got plenty of food along the way. We were so proud when we bought a used truck from a friend and didn't have to borrow my father's car anymore. For those of you who knew Mike, you know that he was always in a hurry.

On one trip we delivered 2 horses to John and Bonnie Herron in New Mexico. Wonderful people and Bonnie made turquoise jewelry and also halters with sterling silver on them. I still have the halter she made for Impressivist, the silver on it is solid sterling silver and also some rings and earrings. On the way back, we picked up a colt who we named Walter at Afton "Babe" Greens in Wyoming. He had a lot of horses and also a saddle shop. I still have the salt and pepper set he gave us. We turned Walter lose in the trailer and it was warm so we removed the top panels on the back of the trailer. Well, Walter rode back to Wisconsin with his head hanging out the back of the trailer. Cars would pass us and honk at him. Mike loved history so on this trip he was excited about seeing Mount Rushmore. Well, as usual, Mike was in a hurry so we drove straight through which took us past Mount Rushmore during the night and we didn't get to see it. We met some wonderful people on those trips. When we delivered horses to Joe and Linda Boyce Banks in Williamsburg, Virginia, Mike was especially excited. Since he was a "history buff" he decided that we would tour historic Willamsburg and then go to Washington DC. Well, we "cruised through" the historic area without stopping and drove to Washington DC. We had never seen so much traffic, I can't remember how many lanes there were and cars were bumper to bumper. This is my recollection of Washington DC. We drove past the White House and Mike had to go to the bathroom. Well, there was so much traffic we couldn't stop so he jumped in the trailer at a stop light. He got a kick out of telling the story of us passing the White House and him going to the bathroom in the trailer. We had so many adventures delivering horses. One time we sold a young horse to some guys near Tampa Florida. At the last minute, they decided to also buy a mare. Well, we had no health or coggins on the mare so we were stopped at the border and had to wait for a vet to let us pass. That was an interesting trip. We delivered the horses down this country road and there were hundreds of orange trees lining the driveway. Since it was a last minute deal, we did not get all of our money before we left. But, being trusting horse people, we left the horses there. A few weeks later, I got a phone call saying "the boys don't like the horse' Well, what could I do? A few yeas earlier, Jay Caponey had been to our place in Wisconsin and we had become friends. I called Jay and he said he would pick up the horse and sell her for us, which he did. There are so many other trips that we took. In later years, Mike would say "Sandy, we used to travel when we didn't have any money and now that we can afford it, we stay home" He was right and looking back I wish we would have gone more places and seen more things. I guess as I got older, I became more involved with my horses and was satisfied just staying at home.

May 2, 2020

Yesterday we finally took the winter blankets off the outside mares. They live outside with a shelter but are under lights so they shed their hair. I bought them from Wade Yager and Heather Olson two years ago and they are still patiently waiting for their embryos. I told them perhaps this month they will get to become mothers. On the left is TF Kids Cover Girl by Kid Coolsified out of Fashions by Mister and on the right is Righteous Indulgence by Righteous Mister out of The Sharpest Edge. Both mares are NN and both of their dams are by Mr Conclusion. ( Janie (Kids Classic Gal) is the bay in the picture.

Beautiful day in Wisconsin. The temperature could hit 70 and the horses are enjoying the new grass that is growing. It amazes me how big Wilma (Classically Kool) has gotten. She is my NN "experiment" breeding Fred (Classically) to his half sister, Rebecca (You Bet Im Cool). I love her even though she can be "trying" at times. I guess she knows that all 16.2 of her is bigger than I am.

May 1, 2020

The Beautiful "Cookie" Move Over Darling" who is sired by Fred (Classically) out of Malibukini. She is getting all "prettied up" for the arrival of her half sister, Betty " My Secret Luv" in Germany.

April 30, 2020

Yesterday, Scott Peterson posted an article about David Stone from Florence, Alabama. I also knew David pretty well through his association with Dudley Pillow and we were there at the World Show in 2000 when DS Roman Kid Clu won the Aged Stallion Class. David wanted Dudley to breed some of his mares to Roman but he was not Dudley's type of horse. But David did have a stallion that Dudley loved and his name was How D Billie Jack. He was a gray horse, standing over 16.1 with tons of body by Tee Jay Roman out of How D Jacklynn. If you remember the story I told you about Terry and Tammy Bradshaw's mare, Shanes Night Lady, you may remember that her dam, How D Romantic was a full sister to Billie Jack. Dudley bred several mares to Billie Jack and also bought a few daughters of his. Grace Berton also hauled two mares all the way from California to breed to him. I intended to breed a mare also and paid my $300 stud fee but it never happened. You know how I baby my mares and David only pasture bred the stallion. You had to have your mare at his place by February 1 when he turned him out with them or the stallion would not accept any other mares to his herd. How D Billie Jack produced some great brood mares. Grace Berton still has a daughter of his and she is one of her best producers. And, when I would go and visit Jerry and Gwen Clarke Vawter, I was always in awe of their big Billie Jack mare. It is a shame that the Tee Jay Roman bloodlines are about gone as they added so much bone and structure to our modern day horses.

April 28, 2020

This "Stay at Home" can get very boring but one thing I look forward to daily is watching Terry Bradshaw's live video on the computer. His wife, Tammy Bradshaw videos the show and it is very entertaining. I am anxious to hear his new record release which is called Quarantine Crazy. He has given us bits and pieces of it on his daily video and it was actually Tammy's idea to record it. Tonight when I finished my "horse chores" I noticed it was on so I watched it. And, guess what-------he even mentioned me on the show. Wow, do I feel honored. If you aren't already watching, I suggest you check it out. Just follow Official Terry Bradshaw and you can go back and watch all the previous videos. I guarantee you will be entertained and like me, look forward to the one he posts tomorrow.

Click here for link.

April 26, 2020

Sometimes I think I am the luckiest person in the World. I spent the day alone and although it was a beautiful day, weather wise, I felt kind of lonely thinking of how much Mike loved the spring when everything comes alive and how much I miss him. About an hour ago, I finished taking care of my horses and heard some noise so I jumped in my car and drove across the road. Out in our field was Jack Cowling planting oats and hay for my horses. I am so thankful for wonderful friends and neighbors. Jack and Karen Cowling not only "rescued me" when I broke my leg, but they also take time during their busy farming schedule to plant and harvest my crops too. I did take Jack 2 peanut butter brownies that Brooke Overton baked. I meant to take more but they were so good, I ate two of them.

April 26, 2020

Two of my "neglected horses" Pebbles (Cool to be Classic) and Fred (Classically) They have been living outside with shelters and as you can see, their tails are mud stained, their manes knotted and they still have a lot of winter hair. Well, not to mention that they are a bit on the "porky" side as all they do is eat.

April 23, 2020

A few days ago I told you the "story of Rebecca (You Bet Im Cool)." She is my 20 year old NN mare by Ima Cool Skip out of Miss Bunny Tardee by Tardee Impressive. I also told you that I would post pictures of her foals, although there are only 3 living ones. I am hoping to get an embryo out of her this year as I am afraid her time may be running out. This post would be too long if I told you about each of these foals so if you click on each picture I will post the information about them there. I hope you enjoy looking at them and I think you will agree that all of them inherited a lot of Rebecca's characteristics.

Click on images to enlarge.


NN filly by Perpetualism . We sold this one as an unborn embryo to Australia.

Champaign. NH filly by Im Kiddin. This is probably the best baby I ever raised. I lost her to a freak accident as a coming yearling.

NH filly by Im Kiddin. She is still alive. Dr John Tan and his brother James Tan flew up her and bought her. She was there first quarter horse and has been a great producer for them. She has produced 3 World Champions.

Rudy, NN colt by Malibu Ken. We had to put him down. When I was recovering from my knee replacement, they tied him and he flipped over and hurt his spine. Consequently he developed wobbles.

Bucky , NN colt by Kids Classic Style. I sold him and he became a World Champion.

Wima (Classically Kool) NN filly by Fred (Classically) She is the one I am keeping for a replacement for Rebecca.

Charlie, NN stud colt by Hesa Secret Agent. We sold him to Laurie Lorenz and Logan Lorenz.

I forgot to add Scooter, her NH colt by Mr Elusive. He is the only one she carried. The rest were embyros and she carried him over a year. He is no longer alive either.

April 19, 2020

I thought today I would tell you a little about Rebecca (You Bet Im Cool) I think you all know that Rebecca and I have been growing old together. She is now 20 years old and I am not going to tell you how old I am. This picture was taken when she was younger and she does not look that good now---and neither do I. The first picture is of her as a foal at 10 days of age. When she was born, I though for sure she was HH as she had so much muscle. But then, I had bred Miss Bunny Tardee by Tardee Impressive who was NH to Ima Cool Skip, who was also NH. Wayne Halvorson had flown to our place during the previous summer and bought her full sister who was HH and made her a World Champion, Well, this foal had more muscle than the HH one, so I assumed she was also HH. I remember the day standing by the fax machine as the HYPP results came in and to my disbelief, the paper with Rebecca's results said NN. I immediately called Wayne and we decided that there must be a mistake so I tested her again. Being a bit tricky, I did test her under the name of my sisters riding horse. Again she came back NN. It was then that I decided she would never leave our place. When she was a yearling, several horsemen came and offered to buy . I was adamant and even though we could have used the money, I talked Mike into letting me keep her. One group even flew in and offered to buy her, keep her for two years, make her a World Champion and give her back to us. To me, not having any children, it just gave me pleasure to go out and look at her, knowing that she was mine. Rebecca has always been sound until last December. One day she came in on three legs, not putting weight on her one hind leg. After X Rays and ultrasounds, the vets discovered that she tore the meniscus in her stifle. Believe me, we have done everything short of surgery to save her. Dr Katherine Fox and Dr Sarah Peters did stem cell therapy and laser treatments on her. She needed to stay in her stall for months and than heaven for Gabriel, the donkey. She fell in love with him (I think she thinks he is her baby) She gets very upset if she can't see him at all times. We had to cut part of the wall down between two stalls so she can keep her eye on him. Rebecca seems better now but I don't know how her prognosis is going to be. I am trying to get some embryos out of her. Now, don't think we haven't been trying the last few years. In fact, yesterday a memory popped up on my computer saying in 2011, on that day, we flushed an embryo out of her and My Intention. Unfortunately that embryo did not make it but I keep trying. Jim and Georgia Snow have gone out of their way to way to help me get that "illusive embryo" Rebecca has had several foals over the years, but unfortunately there are only 3 living ones. One is a mare by Im Kiddin that Dr John Tan owns and she is the dam of 3 World Champions. Another is the NN yearling stud by Heza Secret Agent that we sold to Laurie Lorenz and Logan Lorenz last year. I expect great things from him. And last is Wilma (Classically Kool) my NN 16.2 mare by Fred (Classically) who I am keeping to replace Rebecca. We shall see what this year brings as far as embryos out of Rebecca. In the next few days, I will show you pictures of Rebecca's foals. I think you will be impressed with the consistency of them sired by different stallions.

April 18, 2020

I was so excited to read that Sandy and Jim Henrekin bought a baby stud colt. It has been a few years since they left the "Village" and we always had great times with them at horse shows. Mary Mancini posted this picture of happy times a few years ago at the World horse show. Let's hope we will all be able to have times like that again. After all, we wouldn't all fit in the picture if we had to stand 6 feet apart. I know there are some "villagers" missing from this picture, but we will all plan to get together at the Breeders Halter Futurity and find a photographer with a zoom lens to take our picture.

April 14, 2020

A few days ago I told you about Dudley Pillow and promised that I would tell you about his horse program. After trying every major stallion in the country, Dudley concluded that the one horse he really liked was Ima Cool Skip so he built his program around him. He raised his stallion by Ima Cool Skip, Skips Shane who was out of Regers Kitty, a daughter of Leo Goldseeker out of Regers Lady Skip by Skip Em Bars out of Excuse Bay Lady. Dudley sent Kitty to our place to breed to Impressivist and we kept her here a few years. She was an awesome mare, everything I like in a mare---beautiful head, short strong back, huge hip and heart girth and great hocks. Her fault, if any was that she was 14.3. Dudley was so excited when Skips Shane was born. He named him after his favorite movie, Shane. Skips Shane was very strong in the head, back, hip, hocks and heart girth department as both Kitty and Ima Cool Skip were strong there. They were also great legged horses and had plenty of bone. Over the years Dudley bred his Ima Cool Skip mares to Shane and he developed a very uniform group of horses. Dudley was not a fan of the "modern horse" as he thought they strayed too far from the "real quarter horse" The way that Dudley would handle his breeding program was that he kept the mares with foals in one pasture and the open mares in another. Then, every few days, he would move the stallion back and forth to the other pasture. He did not care when his foals were born, not even if they came in September. I remember the day he called and he had found Skips Shane dead. He was devastated. At that time he had a son of his that he named Shanes Bake, after himself because his nickname was Bake. He used Bake for a couple of years and then one day he found him dead also. At that time, the HYPP factor was becoming known and people thought that NH horses had more muscle than NN ones. Dudley loved to point out a filly that he had out of a World Champion daughter of Impressive by Sonnys Securitee and he would tell me that she didn't have a muscle on her and she was HH. Over the years, Dudley would send me videos of his horses and I still have them. It was like I was right there looking at them with him as he would point out their good and back attributes. He taught me a lot about horse conformation. One of the last conversations we had he brought up the fact that he thought we had forgotten about croups on horses and that we needed to look into that more. And, I agree, he was right on that issue. I am posting pictures of Dudley Pillow and Skips Shane and also a picture and pedigree of Twice the Romance, a mare he raised. Look at her pedigree and you will see how intensely inbred she is. When Dudley died, Lanis Noble and I bought 2 daughters of Skips Shane from the estate. One was Shanes Night Lady which we sold to Australia and the other was Shanes Lady Romantic, who is now owned by Terry and Tammy Bradshaw, Twice the Romance is out of Romantic. I sold Twice the Romance to Vicki Benker and we have remained great friends ever since. I could go on and on about Dudley Pillow as I have a lot of good stories about our horse escapades. Maybe I will tell you some of them in the near future.

Click on picture to enlarge Pedigree of Twice The Romance

April 12, 2020

Easter Sunday, 2020 is unlike any Easter Sunday I have ever known and hopefully will not have to experience one like this again. Thinking back to past Easters when I was a young girl, I always looked forward to dressing up and going to sunrise services at our church with my parents. It was so exciting to go so early in the morning to celebrate Christ rising from the dead. I bet all of you have good memories of Easter. Among them, the family gatherings, the Easter egg hunts, the wonderful meals where we stuffed ourselves until we were miserable. Hopefully things will be like that again and in the future when it is, I will appreciate it more. I am sure you will too. Sometimes we take life for granted.

April 11, 2020

Guess who is having a birthday today? Wilma (Classically Kool) She is my one and only filly out of Rebecca (You Bet Im Cool) and by Fred (Classically) She is now 5 years old and she grew to be a big girl standing close to 16.2. Since both Fred and Rebecca are NN, so is Wilma. She was my "experiment" in breeding half brother to half sister. I wanted to concentrate the genetics of their dam, Miss Bunny Tardee. I love this mare and hopefully I will get a baby out of her someday soon. At my age, I have been concentrating on breeding the old mares and skipping Wilma. A quick cell phone picture of her in the arena today.

April 10, 2020

A few days ago I posted about Shanes Lady Romantic, now owned by Terry and Tammy Bradshaw, so thought today I would tell you a little about Dudley Pillow, her breeder. In the 1980's Mike and I owned Impressivist and stood him at stud. I advertised in the Quarter Horse Journal and his first foals were on the ground. I will never forget the day the phone rang and the voice on the other end said "my name is Dudley Pillow and I want to talk to you about breeding to your stallion, Impressivist. We talked for a long time and I found out he was from Mississippi, raised cotton, and loved horses with big hips and pretty heads. After he hung up, it was probably about 10 minutes and he called me back. This time he said that he guessed he should come and see Impressivist and his foals. Our weather was terrible, it was snowing and cold so I assumed he meant when it got a bit better out. Well, I was wrong as it was about a half hour later that the phone rang again and the voice said, "I'm on my way" How would I know he meant he was driving straight through in bad weather to arrive at our door the next morning. But that was Dudley Pillow. He looked at Impressivist and his foals and stayed in a motel overnight. In the morning, his truck being a diesel, gelled up and wouldn't start. He finally got it started and came out, looked at the horses again and left (although he did return 5 minutes later as he forgot his boots) Later that day, the phone rang again and it was Dudley. I about fell over when he told me he had made some calls and everything worked out so there were 6 mares on their way to our place. That was the beginning of a wonderful horse relationship. At one time Dudley probably had 18 mares here and he left them year around. I foaled them out and bred them back for him. He would fly me around the country to pick out mares for him---I would send him the videos and he would usually buy them. He sent most of them here to breed to Impressivist. Dudley Pillow had the biggest impact on my horse knowledge as we would talk almost daily on the phone, discussing bloodlines and conformation. He told me he spent a fortune on phone calls to me as back then long distance calls cost and sometimes we would talk for over an hour. And, tht was several times a day. Dudley was a big believe in the "bottom side of the pedigree" so if he found a mare he liked, he would often have me find and buy her mother. I am not the only one that Dudley Pillow influenced in the horse business. There are many others including JoAnna Stricklin, Grace Berton, Donna Davis, Carol Moeller, Susan Deakle Drinkard, and Jerri Harmon. He would tell us he was "one of the girls" Dudley loved Ima Cool Skip and would get a package deal to breed to him. This was before there was shipped semen so you had to take your mare to the stallion station. Some of us would send out mares to Dudley and he would take them to Southgate where Ima Cool Skip stood. Grace Berton sent 2 mares from California to Mississippi for Dudley to take there. One of them was the dam of Sir Cool Skip. If you check, Sir Cool Skip and also man of my mares including Cooleah have Dudley Pillow on their papers as the breeder. He never charged any of us to haul the mares or keep them at his place. I could go on and on about Dudley and promise I will continue his "story" in the near future. His breeding program was very interesting and I learned a lot about crossing different mares and stallions from him.

April 9, 2020

Rebecca (You Bet Im Cool) 17 year old NN mare by Ima Cool Skip out of Miss Bunny Tardee by Tardee Impressive. She is a full sister to Bonnie (CJ Miss Cool Tardee) who I last featured as my cover picture. Rebecca is 17 and Bonnie is 16 years old.

April 7, 2020

As many of us do, I love following the videos that Terry and Tammy Bradshaw post almost daily. Not only are they informational but they are also entertaining. Yesterday, I happened to watch their latest one in which they were showing the mares and foals in the mare motel. I watched with interest and the very last horse they came to was Shanes Lady Romantic and it really "warmed my heart" to see the old girl looking so good. Let me tell you a bit about her. My friend, Dudley Pillow bought her dam, How D Romantic from Howard Dahlof. I remember he was so excited to go to their place as he loved the Tee Jay Roman horses. When he bought her he had to leave her there to foal as she was having a foal by Zips Dude. That foal became one of Howards stallions and his name was How D Romantic Dude. How D Romantic was a full sister to How D Poco Lynn, the World Champion but Dudley liked her better than Lynn because she had a pretty head. Dudley bred her to Skips Shane and she had Shanes Lady Romantic. When Dudley died, Lanis Noble bought her from the estate and we became partners with him on the mare. In 2015, the Bradshaws bought her and have been raising foals out of her. If you look at the video they posted you can still see the gorgeous head and back on this 20 year old mare. I think we need to get some of her characteristics back in our breeding. She has more bone than our modern horses and a back and heart girth "to die for" Tammy told me her foal is by Extremely Hot Chips, their World Champion and World Champion pleasure horses sire. I believe that the way the mare is bred, the baby has a good chance to make a great pleasure horse. They plan to breed her to Telesecret this year. I think it was the highlight of my day to see the "old girl".

April 5, 2020

While trying to go through some things today, I came across this beautiful calendar that Carri Ehrich made for me in 2008. She took pictures of the horses she bought from us and also some of their produce. I will treasure this forever. I first met Carri when she came to look at and ended up buying Azzari, a stallion we owned by Tardee Impressive out of Trouble Yes by Mr Trouble Step. It was one of the coldest days of winter and the stallion had been living outside in a shelter. He was a dirty mess so Bob Luebker and I gave him a bath. When he dried, his winter hair looked terrible as it was matted down. So what does a good horse person do but improvise. We got hair dryers and brushes and fluffed the hair back up. I must admit he looked pretty good by the time they came. Carri ended up buying Azzari and we became great friends. Over the years she bought Impress Me Win (Dottie) Miss Carri Clu (Henrietta) Coola (Lucy), a daughter of Impressive Dandy and last but not least Bonnie (CJ Miss Cool Tardee) I will never forget how it happened that she bought Bonnie, who was a weanlng and and a full sister to Rebecca (You Bet Im Cool) and Cool Miss Tardee, a World Champion. The three mares are by Ima Cool Skip and out of Miss Bunny Tardee by Tardee Impressive. Many "big time" people wanted to buy Rebecca but I had decided that I wanted to keep her. The following year, there was interest in Bonnie. A great friend of mine, Lanis Noble was visiting from Mississippi and when he saw Bonnie, he called Carri and told her that if she was going to be in the horse business, she needed to buy this filly. Well, she did and over the years, Bonnie produced some great foals for her, including Caribbean Kid. Quite a few years ago, Carri decided to sell all her horses and Bonnie was sold to another good friend of mine, JoAnna Stricklin in Mississippi. "Big Bonnie" as Joanna called her raised a couple of foals for her and then Joanna decided she wasn't going to breed anymore and asked me if I wanted to buy her. At this time she was 17 years old and I thought it was about time she "came home" Cliff and Robin Bales hauled her to their place and I had her picked up there. Both Bonnie and Rebecca are big 16 hand mares and I don't think there is a horse in America that likes to eat as much as Bonnie does. MIke and I raised 2 palomino fillies out of her and Fred (Classically) The 2 year old, Pebbles is NH and Betty, her yearling NN full sister is waiting to go to her new home in Germany. With this Covid 19, who knows when she will be able to leave, but she is such a gorgeou filly, I don't mind looking at her. Unfortunately, last fall we started having trouble with Bonnie being lame and we tried everything humanly possible to alleviate her pain. Finally about 6 weeks ago, we nerved her one foot and she still is not good but she is comfortable. I intend to try to embryo transfer her and of course as luck would have it, she ovulated before the semen arrived and we didn't get an embryo. I plan to try again and hopefully get another filly to replace her. Linda Gordon has been wonderful to . work with as I am breeding her to Very Cool I want to try adding Ima Cool Skip back into her pedigree.

 

April 4, 2020

Sitting here alone again today, looking at my closed gates, I had a chance to reflect on life as I now know it. The weather certainly hasn't helped as we have had cold, rain, and mud. The horses are confined to their stalls or shelters without much exercise. I guess I just didn't appreciate life as it "once was" I used to look forward to getting together with my friends on weekends for laughs and fun and going shopping during the week. I, for one, did not realize the freedom I had to do whatever I wanted. Life has definitely changed for everyone and I do not see things getting better for a long time. I look at my closed gates and think about the wonderful memories I have and wonder what each day has in store for me and the World. God bless you, my friends and pray that we will all be safe and get through this.

March 6, 2020

I just had to share this post that Rich Fortner posted in his group. Many of us loved Skipa Star.

Click on article to enlarge.

March 5, 2020

Well, I guess I am not able to keep my birthday a secret this year so I guess I will write a little something about my life. I was lucky enough to have had wonderful parents who brought me up to appreciate good values and to respect others. I had a great childhood living in the small town of New London, Wisconsin where there was no crime and it seems as though everyone knew every one else. I must have been born with a "love of horses" because I far back as I can remember, horses were a big part of my life. From the time I got my pony Ginger to the present, there was never a day that horse hasn't been in my life. And, I think that will be the case until I die. My grandfather was a blacksmith so perhaps that is where I got my love of horses. Thinking back, Dixie a grade palomino was my first big horse, followed by Butterscotch another grade palomino mare. I still remember going to Vic Quakenbush's in Appleton, Wisconsin and my father bought a 2 year old registered quarter horse for me. She was a red dun and her name was Hank's J Liz,. She was sired by Wolf Hank by Hank H by King P234. Her dam was Rocksprings Sis by Honey Boy Cruse. I showed her at all the open shows in our area. In fact, my parents wanted me to go to a private college but I couldn't take my horse there, so I convinced them that I should go to Oshkosh State College where I was able to keep LIz at the fairgrounds. Well, enough of my early life with horses. As you all know, horses are still a major part of my daily routine, although I have cut the numbers down considerably. I plan to try to get that "illusive embryo" out of Rebecca (You Bet Im Cool) and also breed her daughter Wilma (Classically Kool) this year. And hopefully I will be lucky enough to get another out of Bonnie (CJ Miss Cool Tardee) I no longer have the desire to make a lot of money with my horses, I just want to try raise a few foals that I enjoy looking at. I am so thankful for all the friends and support I have had, especially since losing Mike who was my biggest supporter. Rest assured, I intend to continue to post on Face Book and I do have many lifetime stories that I can tell you. Maybe I will even get the courage to disclose some of the happenings from my past. But we shall see about that.

March 2, 2020

I just had to share this great post from Cindy Buchanan. I grew up idolizing Hank Wiescamp and just being able to see actual pictures someone took at his place made my morning.



Skippers King and Ed Carson, January 1976


Click on pictures to enlarge.

 

March 1, 2020

Remember when I told you about the sturgeon spearing and the Polar Plunge into Lake Winnebago? In case you didn't know, Lake Winnebago is the largest fresh water lake in Wisconsin and it is right across from Ellis Quarter Horses. It is 30 miles long and 10 miles wide and encompasses 137,700 acres. Well, today my neighbor Stacy Schmitzer Frakes posted this picture of what someone carved into the ice. She said the letters are 250 feet high. I am sure that is is visible to the many airplanes landing at Appleton National Airport as the planes fly over Lake Winnebago to land there.

February 27, 2020

Today I am going to tell you about The Solid Gold Futurity. John Narmont of Illinois started the Solid Gold Futurity in 1984. It was held every year in Springfield, Illinois. John was able to get the state of Illinois' legislature to appropriate funds to finance it. He convinced them that it was a major boost to the economy of Illinois because of the many people who came from all over the United States to participate in it. I think that some of our current futurities such as the Breeders Halter Futurity, the Big Money Futurity and the World Conformation Futurity resemble it other than the Solid Gold was financed by the state of Illinois. There was a lot of advertising going on with the event. I remember that many people had license plates with the name "Solid Gold" on them and I still have a gold pin with a picture of the state of Illinois and Solid Gold Futurity on it. Since the prize money was sponsored by the state, participants could win a lot of money and they also had gorgeous trophies that they awarded to both the horse that won and the stallion owner whose stallion sired that colt. There were some pleasure classes but most of the event centered around halter. Most of the classes had over 50 entries and some had a lot more. It was nothing to stand out there for hours while it was judged. I remember my good friend, Russ Nagel had to go to the bathroom during a class and someone had to hold his horse while he was gone. I think they had 5 judges but I am not sure anymore. All in all, it was a big big event. It was nothing for someone to bring several babies and come away with close to $20,000. I know that my good friend, Donna Davis would usually leave with over $15,000. At that time we owned Impressivist and he had many entries in the futurity. I can count 7 trophies in my office from it---most of them for being the stallion owner. I remember the wonderful times we had in Springfield and some of the great horses I got to see there as babies. One in particular was Noble Tradition. Jim Fuller had him there and he was incredible I think he won under all 5 judges. I also got to see Sheza Perfect Clue as a baby. I remember all the muscle definition on her and also that she was a bit shakey in her legs. Another colt that was there as a baby and who I really liked was Touchdown Kid. He did not place real high but he was so balanced and so pretty that I couldn't help but like him. I am sure there are many more great ones that got their start at the Solid Gold Futurity. I was just told that Sparkling Conclusion won it as a yearling and I also remember Lois Layne winning it as a yearling. At the time of the futurity, I was breeding several mares to Tardee Impressive and dealing with Bill Morris. I had also talked on the phone to the owner of Tardee Impressive and had planned to meet him while in Springfield. Well, Bill Morris was showing a colt in the ring and as he stood along the rail waiting for the placings, I leaned over and was visiting with him. I asked about Jorge Valdez and he told me that I wasn't going to meet him that day as the federal agents had just arrested him in Springfield and taken him to prison on drug charges. Boy, was I in shock. Those were fun times and I hope that our new futurities can help revive the horse business and bring more excitement into it. . I know it will never be like it was "back then" but our industry certainly needs a boost.

February 23, 2020

Nothing like starting them young. Today Charles Lauer brought his daughter Charlie Pitzen and Magnolia, her and Ryan's 4 and 1/2 month old daughter to see the horses. Of course, Bonnie (CJ Miss Cool Tardee) was enjoying the attention. I think she wanted to eat Magnolia's nook..

February 22, 2020

Today I am going to tell you the "story" of Henrietta (Miss Carri Clue) She was a 1998 NH mare by Clueman who was and HH by Obvious Conclusion , out of Miss Bunny Tardee. Her dam was Prophetic Win who was by Obvious Prophet out of Impress Me Win by Impressive. I bought Dottie (Propehtic Win) as a yearling at the World Show. She was owned by Cliff and Robin Bales and had places in the top 10 in her class. Jil Hinds and I were hurrying to get to the airport and happened to walk down Jason Smith's aisle. Well, Dottie was cross tied and I took one look at her and fell in love. She was not big but had a gorgeous head, her neck could have been longer but it tied in high and her back was outstanding, as were her heart girth and hocks. Robin wanted to buy a weanling filly but felt terrible about selling Dottie. So I bought Dottie on the spur of the moment----you know how you are on a "high" when a horse you raised wins the World and that is what happened. A Mr Conclusion colt we raised was WC Weanling stallion. When I got home Mike had a fit about me buying a horse and all I heard for months was "we didn't need another horse and why did I spend all that money to buy her?" When Dottie was 3 years old, I decided to breed her to Clueman (Big Al as everyone called him) Now, back then people didn't know much about HYPP and Clueman was HH and Dottie was NH. Since we owned both mare and stallion and I wanted to cross them with each other, I decided to do it. Well, this is where Miss Carri Clu got the name of "Henrietta" We were live covering Clueman and believe me, he was not an aggressive breeder. He would look everywhere instead of at the mare. I think he enjoyed the cats playing in the hay more than he did breeding. At that time, Dr Travis James Henry was our vet and he was helping us with the breeding. Dottie was ready but Al was not very interested. Finally he decided that he would breed her. Dr Henry was holding the mare and when Big Al went to jump, he scared her and she bolted forward. We tried everything to get her to stand. Finally the stallion mounted her and again the mare started to move forward. Dr Henry grabbed her ear, twisted it and even resorted to biting it. Thank heaven we got her bred. From that time on, we decided that when the foal was born, it would be named either Henry if it was a boy or Henrietta if a girl. When Dottie was in foal, Carri Ehrich came to visit and decided she wanted to buy Dottie. I gave her one price for the mare alone and another for the mare in foal. She decided to just buy the mare as the foal could be HH. I didn't blame her because what are the odds of breeding NH to HH and not getting an HH foal? The next year Carri called to tell me that Dottie had a filly. I asked her what she looked like and all she could say was that she was pretty and had huge forearms. We immediately tested her for HYPP and she tested NH. I brought the filly, now called "Henrietta" back to Wisconsin from Iowa after she was weaned. She stayed here and then as a yearling, I had some big time trainers visit and they tried to buy the yearling. I sent pictures to Carri as I figured she should have first chance if I sold her. Henrietta, who was named Miss Carri Clu after Carri, made her way back to Rock Rapids, Iowa. There she became a great producer for Carri. The mare was not huge but she had so much pretty and so much muscle. She was the dam of Exceptional Candy, who was NN and had more muscle than most NH horses. When Carri decided to get out of horses and raise Bernese Mountain dogs, she sold Henreitta to Barb Deale . Barb kept her a few years and sold her to Brandon Kay where she lived out her life.

February 19, 2020

Looking at all the newborn foals on Face Book, I thought perhaps I should think about breeding my mares. I have had them under lights but haven't even set up the ultrasound to check them. Of course, I have been dealing with getting Rebecca (You Bet Im Cool) and Bonnie (CJ Miss Cool Tardee) sound enough to embryo. But I also have Wilma (Classically Kool) who I plan to breed this year. Today was going to be the day, however when I talked to Leah Gloudemans this morning and she reminded me that the wind chill is _11 today, I think perhaps I will postpone that project until a better day temperature wise.

February 18, 2020

Today let me tell you about Dandy Dee Gal who we called (PDS) In the summer of 1996, I was having trouble with my barn automatic fly system so I called Larry Johnston from Iowa who sells them. In the course of our conversation I asked him if he knew of any good mares as he traveled to many horse farms in the Iowa area and maintained their systems and I also knew that there were many good mares in Iowa. He thought a bit and then told me that he had seen a really good young mare at Bernard Fairchild's in Linn Grove, Iowa. Bernard had the stallion Dandy Seeker and I always loved the Goldseeker Bar bred horses. I called Bernard and his son, Dave sent me a video of Dandy Dee Gal. At that time, Dandy Seeker was dead and the Fairchilds were promoting his son Dandy Dee Bar. This stallion was producing some great pleasure horses. I really liked the mare on the video but thought that I needed to go and see her in person. I talked Mike into going on a "vacation" to Iowa and we made the trip to Linn Grove. We arrived that evening and went out to see the mare. In my lifetime there have been very few times that I looked at a horse that gave me an "inner thrill" We were in an old barn and when Dave led Dandy Dee Gal, that is how I felt. There in front of me was this 15.3 mare with a beautiful head, short archy back, and huge hanging hip. I knew then and there that I wanted her but I had a little problem. PDS as they called her (which stood for Pretty Darm Special) belonged to Arlene, Bernard's wife and another problem was that she was priced higher than I could spend. I told the Fairchilds that we were going to go to our motel but would be back in the morning. Mike and I had a nice meal (at Taco Johns) and all the while I was plotting as to how I could buy the mare. In the morning we went back to the farm. When they got the mare out again, I liked her even more that I did the night before. After visiting with them, they told me they would take $12,500 for her. That was a problem as I did not have that much money to spend. Of course, Mike who was not a horse person was not award of our conversation as he was in the vehicle studying his politics. You know how us "horse women" are ---I had some "secret money" but I did not have that much. The Fairchilds were wonderful people and after a lot of begging, they agreed to sell me the mare for $10,000. What a happy girl I was on the way back to Wisconsin and Mike had no idea as to what I paid for her. PDS turned out to be a great producer for us, producing a World Champion along with many other really good horses. I had to put her down at age 24 as she had trouble getting up and I was afraid she would get down outside in the freezing weather and we wouldn't be around to find her. I still have one of her daughters, Janie (Kids Classic Gal) and she has the beautiful head and big hip PDS always put on her foals. On a side note, when I got PDS home and sent pictures of her to Dudley Pillow, he decided we needed to take a trip to Linn Grove Iowa and look at the other horses that the Fairchild's had. By that time, he was enthused about the Leo Goldseeker horses and Dandy Seeker and Leo Goldseeker were half brothers, both by Goldseeker Bars. Dudley and I met in Iowa and went out to see the horses. It was very cold the time of the year that we went and I don't think Dudley had ever experienced cold like that. Dudley ended up buying the dam of Dandy Dee Gal (PDS) She was a 16 plus mare by Dandy Seeker and she had a split in he hoof. from an injury. Dudley gave her the nickname "Two Toes" Her real name was Ima Seekers Gal. He also bought another filly by Dandy Dee Bar. We eventually ended up buying "Two Toes" from Dudley and he told me she was not longer Two Toes as her hoof at grown out. Those were times when you could find good horses at different places in the Midwest. Iowa and Nebraska had a lot of great ones that most people didn't even know existed. Today the only new horse flesh I see is when I go to the Breeders Halter Futurity or the World Show or on Face Book. Some day I will tell you about my other "escapades" buying horses but this is enough for today.

February 18, 2020

It is 30 degrees "above" zero today and Fred (Classically) is enjoying this heat wave by taking a nap in the snow.

February 14, 2020

The other day I told you about Sturgeon spearing in Wisconsin. Well, if you are not into fishing and want to participate in some of our winter activities, perhaps you would like to do the "Polar Plunge" It takes place today and tomorrow in Oshkosh, Wisconsin which is 5 miles from me. The Plunge is to raise money for the Special Olympic Wisconsin and what they do it cut a large whole in the ice on Lake Winnebago. Groups of people jump into the freezing water and people donate for the "cause" Take note of my thermometer this morning before you leave your warm home and rush to participate in this event.

February 13, 2020

Last Saturday Sturgeon spearing started on Lake Winnebago which is across the road from our place. This year, due to the warm winter weather the ice was not very thick on the lake. There are only 2 lakes in the United States that allow sturgeon spearing and Lake Winnebago is one of them, along with the upper lakes around here. The season lasts 16 days or until the fish quota is reached. People eat the caviar out of the sturgeon. The sturgeon are primitive fish that eat from the bottom of the lake. For those of you who have never heard of them, they are the largest freshwater fish in North America. They can live to be over 100 years old and can be over 6 feet long and weight 150 pounds. "Wisconsinites" set up shanties with heaters in them and of courses some beverages and food and drill a hole though the ice.. Then they put their decoys in the water and wait for a fish to swim by so they can spear it. Our local bars have bands and entertainment and it is a big event here. Today and tomorrow we are going to have cold weather with maybe a wind chill of 25 below zero. The "spearers " will like that but I will be happy when the temperatures. return to the above normal ones we had this year. I noticed that there are not the normal number of shanties on the ice and the other events, like snow mobile racing is not going on. Still the big tents are set up and there is a lot of partying going on.

February 10, 2020

Isn't this a pretty 5 panel NN mare by Kid Coolsified out of Fashions by Mister by Mr Conclusion? She is one of the mares I bought from Wade Yager and Heather Olson last year. Guess what her name is? Heather of course.
 



This is the other NN mare that I bought from Wade Yager and Heather Olson. The two came together and since I named the one Heather, I started calling this one "Wade" Well, I decided she is too pretty to call Wade so Leah Gloudemans named her Clara. I don't know that I am too fond of that name but----. Clara, whose real name is Righteous Indulgence is by Righteous Mister and out of Fashions by Mister by Mr Conclusion. I like the fact that my good friend, Bob Lee showed her in the Iowa Breeders Futurity as a baby.
 

Guess who has a blanket on this morning. I guess when it is below zero with the wind chill and a horse has been under lights it is only right to blanket them? We shall she if Wilma (Classically Kool) has her blanket in one piece or in shreds when she comes in tonight. I did spray half a bottle of Rap Last on it. Maybe that is the reason she is sticking out her tongue. That stuff is deadly.

I rarely throw things away and came across this business card from Kerner Country Farm. Years ago, right after Mike and I were married, Ed and Sandy Kerner and their trainer, Johnny Brown came to see some gray fillies by Bar Fly Bailey. He was a AAA AQHA Champion stallion I owned when I met Mike. They didn't buy anything but we became friends. At that time they owned a gray stallion and his name has slipped my mind. A few years later, they stepped up and bought a great halter mare and Mr Peppy Burner. I remember calling Sandy when these two horses were Grand at the Denver Stock Show. Well, over the years they purchased some great mares to compliment Mr Peppy Burner. I flew to Michigan when Dudley Pillow wanted to buy a daughter of The Barn Burner and took a video of her and all their mares. I still have the tape but it is on the old beta format. I did not like the mare that well for the price, and Dudley did not buy her. It is interesting where and how you make new friends through the horse industry and how their lives and our lives change from the time you meet them until now.

February 9, 2020

Beautiful winter day i n Wisconsin. I bet Betty (My Secret Luv) wishes she were in her new home in Germany today.

February 9, 2020

About a week ago, Erin Matte sent me this picture of Skips Shana sleeping. I asked her how old she is and she told me 26. It seems like just a few years ago she was born. Erin asked me why we called her "Jakette" and I told her the history of her ancestry. Jakette was sired by Skips Shane and was out of Impressivista, a 1985 mare by Impressivist. We raised Impressivista who we called "Beta" and she was out of Tiffany Tailwind, a 1975 mare by Mr Tailwind out of Jakes Jewell. Here is the story. Jakes Jewell was a 1962 bay mare by Little Jake Hudson out of Brooks Nell. I was teaching school in Fort Benton, Montana and wanted to buy this mare in the worst way. Back then, there was no DNA on horses and some people who had multiple herds would just go and draw markings on the foals and register them out of mares who were not their dams. I was told that Jakes Jewell who was registered out of Brooks Nell was actually out of Jackys Baby, a World Champion Barrel horse. I imagine they registered her that way because Jackys Baby was out of a thoroughbred mare thus she would be appendix. I took out a loan to by Jakes Jewell who was barely halter broke. I knew her sire, Little Jake Hudson well. He was an old horse when I was around him. He was owned by the Western Ranch Company and was sired in 1944. His sire was Ace of Diamonds and he was out of Koonz Quarter Mare He was a match racehorse in Louisiana and I was told he had outrun Miss Panama. I remember Jake as a small, very heavily bodied horse with an ugly head. You would think that Jakes Jewell would have become gentle after being handled all those years but we still had to keep a catch lead on her in order to catch her.

February 6, 2020

We are all aware of how high health care is today. Even if you have insurance, you may still have to pay a portion of the bill which is devastating to so many. Two of my nieces, Alyssa Verhasselt and Aubrey Baehman Schramm sent me this article from the Waupaca County Sheriffs post on Face Book. If you remember, my father, Dr Schmallenberg was a doctor in New London, Wisconsin and this article shows the charges that he gave to a patient after an accident. It also shows the charges to fix the vehicle and pictures of the accident. Quite a change from charges today.

February 2, 2020

I am so sad to hear this news. I had such wonderful conversations about horses with Jim Duncan over the years. We will all miss him.

February 2, 2020

"Global warming" has really ruined some of our local events in Wisconsin. It is hard to believe that the temperature may hit 50 today. Yesterday was the "Walk Across Winnebago" and due to the warm weather, the ice was not thick enough for people to walk the 10 miles across from the lake. However, this did not stop people from celebrating and still having a great time. The Walk Across Lake Winnebago originally started in 2003. Over the past several years it has continued to grow into an afternoon of laughter, friendship, craziness, and fun! The Payne's Point Hook & Spear Fishing Club monitors the ice conditions and plows the road if there are 12 inches of ice or more. Since 2010, they have donated $50,000 to The Neenah Animal Shelter, $2,930 to the City of Menasha K9 Unit, $23,535 to City of Neenah K9 Unit and $6,000 to the Neenah-Menasha Water Rescue. This year, Walk Across Lake Winnebago''s goal is to raise funds for the Neenah-Menasha-Water Rescue Team. Yesterday the buses still carried the people "around" the lake to Bobbers Bar in Hilbert for a few Bloody Marys and other beverages. Then the buses came back to our two local bars, Mikees Paynes Point Bar and the Vicnland Still and Grill, where both places had bands. I am sure a fun time was had by everyone. I am wondering with this warming trend, what Sturgeon spearing will be like on Lake Winnebago this year.

February 1, 2020

I just realized that A Classic Edition is continuing her winning ways through her son and grandson. Dan Fox just posted the following: "A Classic Edition (Cassie) lives on thru her 1st generation FR Final Edition (2 yr. old Palomino World Champion in 2019). “Duke is being trained by Marty Oak Simper for Ranch Riding and Performance Halter Stallions for the AQHA World show. Cassie’s second generation and grandson is CR Peace Maker (Bruno). Bruno is a tremendous 3 yr. old bay stallion that stands 16.3 by Solaris out of Shes Got The Guns out of A Classic Edition. CR Peace Maker is trained by Luke Castle. This is going to be fun this year showing these two great studs. Cassie lives on." I am sure you all remember A Classic Edition. She was by Kids Classic Style and out of Cooleah (Olivia) A Classic Edition amassed 902 halter points and 94 performance points She was an AQHA Champion, had Superiors in Performance Halter, Heading, Heeling, Calf Roping. I think it is outstanding that a mare can be such a great show horse and now a producer through her sons and grandsons. I look forward to following CR Peacemaker r, Dan's young bay stallion and will certainly be supporting him in the future.

January 28, 2020

I am so proud of Bob Luebker. Many of you don't know him, but he is and always has been a force behind Ellis Quarter Horses. He showed up at our place while he was still in high school and has been helping us for over 17 years. When he came, he knew nothing about horses but now he is very capable of handling any of them. Despite the fact that he has always had a full time job, he has continued to be here daily to help us over the years, coming from his 12 hour shift at the mill to doing his work out here. Yesterday, he sent me this letter of recognition that Presto Company, the place he works, honored him for his innovation. I am so proud of him and happy he has been recognized for his work. I would not be able to continue what I am doing without the help of Bob and Leah Gloudemans.

January 26, 2020

Pebbles (Cool to be Classic) coming 2 year old NH filly by Fred (Classically) out of CJ Miss Cool Tardee.

The two "golden girls" yesterday morning enjoying our beautiful Wisconsin weather. Both are full sisters by Fred (Classically) out of Bonnie (CJ Miss Cool Tardee) Pebbles (Cool to be Classic) on the left is now a 2 year old and Betty (My Secret Luv) on the right is now a yearling.

January 25, 2020

It is hard to believe a year ago I had an accident that changed a lot of things in my life. It was the first time in all these years that I was really injured by a horse. It was Friday night, January 25 and I had gotten cleaned up to go out with friends. The last "chore" of the day was to grain the outside horses. One of them is very friendly and the other is a dominant mare. I fed the one and was walking over to the other feeder followed by the friendly mare, when the other mare decided to bite her in the butt. Since she was so close behind me, she swerved but hit me with her shoulder, knocking me to the ground. Now, it wasn't just any normal Wisconsin day---the wind chill was almost 20 below zero and I was out in one of the outside shelters. When I hit the ground, I remember thinking that I would just get up as I really had no pain. Wrong deduction as my right leg was like a dead weight and I could not move it. My thought was to crawl under the feeders as the horses were running around and I was afraid I would get stepped on. However, I could not drag myself on the ground. I happened to have my cell phone with me. Normally I would not have had it but I had been counting my steps. It was thrown from my pocket and luckily it didn't break although the ground was so hard. I called my neighbors, Jack and Karen Cowling who live about 2 miles from me and at first they had trouble finding me as we have several buildings. After a quick trip to the ER, ;followed by surgery for my broken femur and several days in the hospital and then several weeks in a recovery center, I came home but life has been different since then. Perhaps I am blaming my aches and pains on the accident and it really is just "old age". Anyway, I am thankful to be alive and still enjoying my horses. Although I have really cut the numbers down, I can't imagine life without horses in it. I guess my experience should be a "wake up call" for all of us. Enjoy every day as you never know when something will happen that will change everything. I truly believe that I would not be alive today had I not had my cell phone with me a year ago.

January 23, 2020

What a wonderful surprise that Leah Gloudemans took this awesome picture of Janie (KidsClassic Gal) for her “picture of the day”

January 19, 2020

Remember when my good friend, Vicki Brilley Livasy did the cute graphics of Fred playing for the Green Bay Packers? Well, hopefully we won't need Fred today as the Packers face the San Francisco 49ners. To say the least I am a bit nervous as they killed us the last time we played them. Green Bay and San Francisco have been two of the more successful teams in NFL history. They played each other 6 times in post season play and tonight will be the 7th time. In 1995 in the NFC Playoffs, the score was Packers 27--Niners 17. In 1996 NFC Playoffs the score was Packers 35, niners 14. In 1997 NFL Championship game the score was Packers 23, niners 10. In 1998 NFC Wildcard game the score was 49ners 30, Packers 27. In 2001 NFC Wildcard the Packers defeated the niners 25 to 15. Then in 2012 NFC Divisional playouff, the 49ners beat the Packers 45 to 31. I think it is our turn but as I said earlier, I am a bit nervous. On draft day in 2005 Aaron Rodgers was asked if he was disappointed that he was passed over by San Francisco and his response was "Not as disappointed as the 49ners will be that they didn't draft me" Now is the time and the place to make that quote come true. GO PACK!!!!!

January 14, 2020

I am by myself today and have had some time to think about many things. Looking out my office window at the beautiful snow cover, I think about how Ellis Quarter Horses came about. In my lifetime, I have bought 3 stallions and they all contributed to the improvement of our place. First of all, when I was teaching in Montana, before I met Mike, I bought Bar Fly Bailey who at that time was a AAA race horse. That was when I still rode horses and and I made him an AQHA Champion with his points being in racing, western pleasure and halter. When I moved back to Wisconsin and met and married Mike Ellis, we bought 15 acres of bare land and proceeded to build Ellis Quarter Horses. I was breeding Bar Fly and selling the colts to generate income. Kay Moody Daniels from New Mexico contacted us and wanted to buy him. We sold him for the whopping sum of $15,000 and with the money bought 15 acres of land. The next stallion I bought was Royal Tailwind. I fell in love with him as a baby and my father gave us the $3500 to buy him. He injured his leg and the scar prevented him from showing. When his first 3 foals arrived, Warren Ploeger from Iowa came to visit and was so impressed with the fillies, he offered to buy him. That was a great deal for us as we were able to pay my dad back and also in the deal got 8 free breeding a year with $5.00 a day mare care. With the money, we bought more land and added an indoor arena to the existing 36 X 81 building. I spent my summers hauling mares back and forth between Neenah, Wisconsin and Schaller, Iowa as that was before shipped semen. One day on my way back from Warrens, I stopped at Homer Danielson's place in Iowa. Homer had been with Warren when he bought Royal. Well, I fell in love with a baby colt by Impressive. Looking back, I think the thing that drew me to the colt was that he was out of a Mr Tailwind mare. Well, this was not a cheap colt as the stud fee on Impressive was $10,000 at that time. Mike and I didn't have a lot of money but I convinced him that the colt was a good investment and he agreed to talk to my father about lending us the funds to buy him. I still remember the night we took dad out to eat and Mike being a great politician convinced him that this horse would make money for us. The price on Impressivist as we named him was $40,000. Well, it all turned out good as I was able to sell two young fillies within a few months and pay my father back. Impressivist was a very photogenic horse and Dick Waltenberry is my neighbor and he took awesome pictures of him. We ran monthly ads in the Quarter Horse Journal and bred over 100 mares a year to him for two consecutive years. That was also before shipped semen. The foals were winning the futurities and we made many friends that I still have contact with to this day. A few years later we were approached and asked if we would sell the stallion and after much thought, decided it would be the best thing for us to do. We sold him for a lot of money and Lanis Noble who bought him became one of my best friends. With the funds from the sale, we continued to improve our place and also bought more land. Those were the days when horses brought good money and were easy to sell. I think about someone trying to do what we did back then and I think only in a rare instance can it be done. Times have really changed. I do wish the horse business could be like it was but as I get older, I realize that in my opinion it will never be.

January 14, 2020

I have had quite a morning. I told you about Rebecca (You Bet Im Cool) tearing her meniscus about 6 weeks ago. I truly thought I would lose her but with the expert therapy of Dr Sarah Peters, she is making a remarkable recovery. Of course, she is not enjoying her "stall rest" but the way she is improving, it won't be long and she and her companion, Gabriel the donkey will be able to go outside during the day. What I failed to tell you, was that I started having trouble with Bonnie (CJ Miss Cool Tardee) also. She was fine. In fact the picture I posted on August 19, 2019 is of her getting her feet trimmed and she never needed shoes. Well, I decided to turn her outside this fall with Janie (Kids Classic Gal) and noticed after a couple of months that she was getting more and more lame. We brought her in the barn and it was a very sad sight. She progressed to laying out flat and had trouble getting up. We had xrays done of her feet and there is no founder or navicular. She is just getting old and has a lot of arthritis in her ankles. Well, today the best team of "caregivers" I know showed up to help her. Dr Sarah Peters of Forward Equine LLC, Dr Katherine Fox of Equine Unlimited, my wonderful farrier, Scott Bruecker, and Piper, Dr Peter's veterinary assistant came. After 3 hours of xrays and trying different shoes and pads, Bonnie seems to be much more comfortable. I can only hope that she continues to improve and I am thinking I need to embryo her this year instead of letting her carry a foal. I guess, that of the three "old girls" here at Ellis Quarter Horses (Rebecca is 20, Bonnie 19 and I am not going to tell you my age,), I may be in the best shape of the group.

January 13, 2020

Remember when I asked you to vote for this awesome picture of my veterinarian Dr Katherine Fox and her horse, Jewel? Well, the photograph was taken by her daughter Bailee Fox and it won the "Kelly Herd Photography Contest" by over 100 votes. Let me tell you a bit about Bailee Fox. She is a sophomore at the Milwaukee Institute of Art and Design, majoring in New Studio Practice. She is focusing on photography and videography. Now let me tell you how this particular picture came about. Bailee and Kathy came home late one afternoon and Bailee needed a picture for her portfolio. They walked out in the pasture to take the picture. Just as they were getting ready , it started to snow which gave the picture such a beautiful angelic look. The prize for winning the contest is a custom made necklace by Kelly Herd. I am anxious to see the finished product as we all know the quality of his jewelry. I will certainly post pictures of the necklace so that all of you can see it as soon as it arrives.

January 12, 2020

It's a good thing Wilma (Classically Kool) is close to 16.3 tall or I don't think she would be able to walk through the 12 inches of snow that the "most accurate weathermen" predicted for last night. For the last two days, the Packers have been requesting 700 people to show up at 6 AM today and they were paying them $12.00 an hour to shovel the seats in Lambeau Field. I sure wonder what those 700 people did this morning. I bet they were tailgating instead.

January 9, 2020

Guess who has papers? The little soon to be German Fraulein Betty now has a pretty neat name. Marko Kaiser and Judith Kaiser chose her name and I really like it. "My Secret Luv" is a yearling NN filly by Fred (Classically) out of Bonnie (CJ Miss Cool Tardee).

January 8, 2020

I have had quite a bit of time to think about my breeding program lately. After breaking my leg last January, I concentrated on breeding the two old mares, Rebecca (You Bet Im Cool) and Bonnie (CJ Misss Cool Tardee) Well, neither of them got in foal. I intend to try again this year but think I almost have to breed Wilma (Classically Kool) She is now 5 years old and is my "pride and joy" I bred Fred (Classically) to Rebecca (You Bet Im Cool), a half brother-sister cross hoping I would raise an individual that will be a great producer as she is concentrating the blood of Miss Bunny Tardee, the dam of both parents. Wilma stands close to 16.3 and is NN and of course is a spoiled brat. Now the fun part is finding a "boyfriend" for her. I will keep you posted as to what stallion I choose for her. This is a picture Leah Gloudemans took of her on Monday.

January 7, 2020

This is one of my favorite pictures. It was taken many years ago by Dick Waltenberry. He and Barb Waltenberry came over to take "baby pictures" of Impressivist foals. This cute black filly, owned by Bob Baumann was there so her dam could be rebred to Impressivist. Dick just happened to snap the picture at the "right time" The Waltenberry's don't live far from me and back them, we had them take all the pictures that we used in advertising, including the fantastic 3/4 front shot of Impressivist. Times have really changed and now Dick is still on the road all the time, mostly doing videos of reining events. Who, knows, perhaps this picture started that change in his photography. ☺️☺️☺️☺️ As many of you know, Barb recently had surgery and is now doing quite well. She is pretty doggone tough and you aren't going to keep her down long. I imagine Dick is still brewing his "home brew beer" He even brought us some years ago. I didn't want to tell me, but I was not a fan. I don't see the Waltenberry's much anymore. With the digital age, Dick recommended what kind of camera and lens I buy so I am now able to take my own pictures. Those were good times and I wish we could get together more often. After a photo shoot, Mike and I would meet Dick and Barb for dinner and of course, Dick would have to have his old fashions. Another great memory for me and I still have all of the photos to remind me of the time.

January 1, 2020

My post from December 2019 about the "caps from Wayne Halvorson" reminded me of another cap that I have. My good friend, Jim Duncan sent me a Wisconsin Quarter Horse Association hat that he had from probably 20 years ago. These were caps that were given to the stallion owner who entered their stallion in the stallion service auction and also to the person who bought the breeding. How it worked, was we held an auction of the stallions the day after the Wisconsin Quarter Horse Association Awards banquet. People could bid at the auction or on the phone and believe me, it was a very busy event. Impressivist topped the auction a few times and brought nearly double his stud fee. You ask why would anyone pay more than a stud fee? Well, the only foals eligible to compete were a foal picked by the stallion owner and the foal born out the person who bought the stud fee's mare. Iowa had an even more fair auction, in my opinion. Both the stallion owner and the mare owner had to name their mare by January 1. These futurities would pay big money with the Iowa one exceeding $15,000 to win it. Our Wisconsin futurity was held in August during our state show and the numbers that showed were tremendous. I remember that it was usually cold that time of the year and we would have winter blankets and hoods on the babies. I also remember that Jim McKillips would sometimes bring mares with foals at their side and show the babies while leaving the mares in the stalls, There were usually about 50 babies in the classes and it would take forever to judge them. The yearling classes were almost as big. I think we had a 3 judge system. It was a great time and many top breeders from all over the country would be there. Some of the people who showed and did exceptionally well were Fred Benker, Gene Wilson, Randy Alderson, Shawn Wacker, Gary Helland, Rick Skelly, Jim McKillips, Russ Smith, and John Lawrence. I am sure I am forgetting a lot of people. Back then my goal in breeding was to win that futurity and finally in 1989 one of our babies did. I still have the buckle and dug it out and took a picture of it for you. I am excited to see some of our present day futurities bringing back people to show but it will never be like it was "back then" in my opinion.

January 1, 2020

Big day today for the Wisconsin Badgers football team and all of Wisconsin. The Badgers are playing in the Rose Bowl Game against the Oregon Ducks. This will be the 106th anniversary of the Rose Bowl Game, which is called the "Granddaddy of bowl games" since it is the oldest. The first Tournament of Roses parade was in 1902 and they added a football game to help fund the parade. Roy Rogers rode Trigger in the parade and at the 123rd parade, 100 palomino horses led the Roy Rogers float. Wisconsin has been in 8 Rose Bowl games, winning 3 of them. A memorable one was in 2012 when Russell Wilson was our quarterback and time ran out before they could get off the final play which could have tied the game. When I was a little girl, the Rose Bowl parade was one of the highlights of my year. I could't wait to watch it and my parents would sometimes let me have a friend over and we would watch it together. Now, there are over 100 floats in the parade and they are covered with roses and flowers but I couldn't care less about the floats. What I wanted to see was the horses and believe me, there were lots of them. Back then, I was not "into quarter horses yet" so I was enamored by the awesome trappings on the horses. Well, times have changed and I am now a big Badger fan, so I will probably skip the parade because I will be taking care of horses but I will be glued to the television when the game starts. The Badgers are underdogs, but here's hoping for a great victory today.

Mike's brother Robert Michael Ellis and Elke Ellis granddaughte, Makenna Ellis is a cheerleader for the Wisconsin Badgers. What an exciting experience for her to be able to attend and cheer at the Rose Bowl;. Now we just need to win the game.

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Michael and Sandra Ellis 1752 Co Rd GG
Neenah, WI  54956
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