A gallop through news, history and events about
horses and people who serve them in Western Colorado.
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NEWS from the Equine World
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FOAL OF THE YEAR?
Posted January 25, 2012
This photo is of Rachel Alexandra's
new foal, born Sunday near Lexington, Ky. Rachel Alexandra was the thoroughbred racing's Horse of the Year in 2009. The sire
of her colt was Curlin, Horse of the Year in 2007 and 2008. Obviously, the youngster comes from some pretty good genetic stock.
To read more about Rachel Alexandra's first foal, click on The Washington Post
link immediately below. But to read more about where the speed gene originated, read the post just below this one.
Washington Post article on Rachel's foal
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THE ORIGIN OF THE SPEED GENE
Posted January 25, 2012
For years, a lot
of racing experts have argued that more of a horse's speed is handed down from his dam, not his sire, even though it is the
stallions that usually generate big news and big bucks in breeding. This study suggests one ancient mare may be the source
of all modern thoroughbred's speed.
I love scientific efforts
like this one, that try to use modern technology to track historical mysteries, which couldn't have been solved with earlier
science. Click on the link below to read more.
Irish Times.com article on the speed gene
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ROCKY MOUNTAIN HORSE EXPO COMING IN MARCH
Posted January 22, 2012
As
mentioned in the post below, March is shaping up to be a busy horse month, and one of the big events is the annual Rocky Mountain
Horse Expo, March 8-11 at the National Western Complex in Denver. The event is sponsored by the Colorado Horse Council and
features a number of exciting and informative events. I'll post more later, but for now, click on the link below to read the
Horse Council's January newsletter with details about the Expo.
Oh,
and this wonderful photo came from the newsletter.
Colorado Horse Council January newsletter
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BUSY YEAR FOR BACK COUNTRY HORSEMEN
Posted January 21, 2012
It
looks like the Grand Mesa Back Country Horsemen have a busy spring and summer scheduled. This is from President Terry Gray's
message in the February newsletter.
"The President’s
Saddlebag
I would like to welcome Scott & Jennifer Fogarty.
2012 dues are now due so, please mail
them in or bring to next meeting on February 6, 7 PM at the Mesa Mall meeting room. Please remember if you joined after October
you will not need to pay until 2013.
I am in the process of contacting committee members to see who is still interested
in working on their committees. If you are interested in working on a committee please let me know and we will try to put
you on that committee. We need someone to volunteer to take over the library.
I would like to thank Penny
Ackerman for her hard work last year and last year’s Board as most of the goals that were set, were achieved.
So thank you everyone who worked so hard on our projects.
It looks like we are going to have another busy
year. We are going to put on a program for the Glade Park Elementary School. The Fruita Co-op has ask us too return this year
and participate in their Co-op Country Day March 24. We have been ask to have a booth at The Horse Expo March 24 & 25
as both of these are on March 24, I would like to ask for some additional help. We will possible have additional other
educational programs throughout the year.
We are going to host the Back Country Horsemen of Colorado Leadership
Clinic June 16 and need volunteers to help.
We need your help to keep working on the right to ride in the
National Forests, as there are groups that would like to keep us off these trails. I have an article put out by the
BCHA 02/12007 titled Why We Need the Right to Ride Protection. The following are excerpts from that article.
In 1956 when the First Wilderness Bill was introduced by Senator Hubert Humphrey stated that "existing uses and privileges
are respected in this bill.” “This bill will not interfere with but will perpetuate, the present multi-purpose
administration of these National Forest areas."
A travel management plan for White River National
Forest had areas of the WRNF closed to horse use in some these areas. The proposal creates new areas where hikers will not
run into stock (limiting current horse access). challenged and changes have been made. The WRNF was not the only NF to have
issues on trail use in this article detrimental to horse use.
Jan has information on the GMUG travel plan
coming up. There are a very large number of trails on this travel plan. So you might offer to help him with the trail inventory.
This is the reason we all need to continue working to keep this from happening. So please renew your membership
and try to get others to join as the more of us there are the bigger voice we have. "
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TORNADO TWINS A CSU SUCCESS STORY
Posted January 20, 2012
I posted something about this shortly after these twin horses were born almost three years ago, to surrogate mothers
after their real mother was killed in the 2008 Windsor tornado. Doctors at the CSU Vet School's equine reproductive lab harvested
eggs from the mother, named Tuesday, before she was euthanized due to a broken leg.
The Denver Post has updated their story, now that the foals are three-year-olds, and tied it to the fire that destroyed
the lab last year, and efforts to raise money to rebuild it. It's an interesting story.
The link is below.
Denver Post article on CSU Equine Reproductive Lab
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WHAT'S WRONG WITH WAR HORSE?
Posted January 18, 2012
My wife will tell
you that I'm a sucker for horse movies of nearly any sort. From "The Black Stallion," to "Secretariat,"
I'm usually lined up early to see a horse pic. So, my daughter Kara (the other horse nut in our family) and I were eager to
see Steven Spielberg's "War Horse." I'd read a lot about the play, and the trailers for the film looked great.
But Kara and I both walked out of the theater very disappointed. For a variety of reasons.
First, it seemed like Spielberg couldn't decide whether to make a Disney-style, feel-good
fantasy like "E.T.," or a gritty war movie like "Saving Private Ryan." The result is it switches back
and forth from hoaky, feel-good scenes to gruesume war scenes with little rhyme or reason. And human characters come and go
so quickly (mostly go as war victims) that you don't know whether you're supposed to like them or not.
Second, I don't mind a horse fantasy. "The Black Stallion," after all, did
things that most of us know a horse is never going to do. But what Joey, the War Horse, does was too incredible for me to
suspend my disbelief.
Finally, I can think of only one other
movie where I felt like the director was so blatantly trying to manipulate my emotions, and I didn't like that one either.
I expected "War Horse" to be a tear-jerker -- sort of "Black Beauty" and "Ol' Yeller" rolled
into one. But instead of getting teary, I got angry about feeling so manipulated. The "Gone With the Wind" sunset
at the end was particularly annoying.
Speilberg is a great filmmaker,
but this wasn't his best effort. And if you want a great, upbeat horse movie, go rent "Seabiscuit" again.
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BUDGET CUTS MAY ELIMINATE
DENVER'S HORSE PATROL
Posted January 17, 2012
This
is no great surprise, given the budget problems all levels of government are facing, but it's still unfortunate. Police horse
patrols have long been an important community relations tool for municipal police departments. But they are costly to maintain,
and only useful for law enforcement in limited purposes.
Below
is a link to the article that appeared today in The Denver Post.
Denver Post story on horse patrol
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A TRULY REMARKABLE
EQUINE SURVIVOR
Posted January 16, 2012
I was
going to write something today about the fantastic survival tale in the very mediocre movie, "War Horse." But I
ran across this more astonishing — and true — story of a horse surviving and overcoming long odds, and I decided
to share this tale, instead. It's about Neville Bardos, a one-time racehorse turned eventer, who came close to dying twice
but was just named USEF horse of the year.
This photo is from the U.S. Eventing Association website, and you
can read more information about Neville there. Or click on the link below.
Enjoy.
I'll explain in a later post why I was so disappointed in "War Horse."
Digital Journal article on Neville Bardos
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NEW FORM OF EQUINE HERPES
DISCOVERED IN CALIFORNIA
Posted, January 15, 2012
A
new variation of equine herpes, which apparently mutated from last year's deadly EHV-1 virus that struck across the West last
May and June, has been discovered in California.
This is from
the Moorpark Patch:
"Five new cases of Equine Herpes Myoencephalitis
(EHM), also referred to as neurological Rhino, a mutated form of the Equine Herpes Virus 1 (EHV-1) were reported at a facility
in California by the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA)."
Below is a link the complete article. Let's hope it doesn't cause problems like EHV-1 did last year.
MoorparkPatch story on equine herpes virus
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National Western Stock Show Rodeo
gets under way tonight
It may not be the Grand Daddy of Them All, but the National Western Rodeo is the
first big rodeo event of the year, and it's been going for 80 years. It runs for 10 days in Denver.
This photo is from a National Western press email sent to me.
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JUMPER SHOW BEGINS FRIDAY
AT NATIONAL WESTERN STOCK SHOW
Posted January 12, 2012
$10,000
Gambler's Choice Open Jumper Stake is Friday, January 13, beginning at 7:30pm.
Open Jumpers Stake where the best riders in the region will compete for the top prize at 7:30pm Friday night.
Speed and accuracy will be on display as this head to head competition heats up.
More jumping competition through the weekend, culminating with the $40,000 Grand Prix Monday night.
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| Jim Farmer competing on Isabell |
LAST GVDS DRESSAGE SHOW OF THE SEASON
Posted October 15, 2011
This
weekend marks the final Grand Valley Dressage Society dressage show for 2011. It will include championship rounds for the
season on Sunday.
I was out to shoot some photos of Jim Farmer
and his horse, Isabell, for a Nov. 6 article in Horseplay in The Daily Sentinel about Western Dressage. Jim and Isabell were
the only competitors in that division this weekend, but they're hoping more people will take it up next year.
By the way, the extended covered arena at Mesa County Fairgrounds is wonderful
for a variety of events, such as this weekend's dressage show. But it sucks if you're a photographer trying to get well-lit
photos of an event.
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| Fay Meyer on Classic Sting Rey |
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| Deb Crooks on Gallant |
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| Penny and Mark Ackerman head up the trail in the Hunting Grounds |
THE HUNTING GROUNDS
Posted October 11, 2011
Moose
and I enjoyed a nice ride with members of the Grand Mesa Back Country Horsemen Saturday, October 8, on the Hunting Grounds.
This is BLM land that is south of Highway 50, across from the Kannah Creek Road. It is part of the Dominguez-Escalante NCA.
The day started off chilly and blustery, as the photo of Penny and Mark indicates,
but it ended up being very nice by midday, and the view was spectacular, as the second photo shows.
Jan Potterveld led the ride. Thanks to all for a being so welcoming to a relatively new member of the group.
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| Sharon Roper, overlooking the Gunnison River |
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GVPC HALLOWEEN FUN SHOW
Posted September 25, 2011
The Grand Valley Pony Club's
Fifth Annual Halloween Fun Show is scheduled for Saturday, October 29 at the Mesa County Fairgrounds. The show includes a
costume contest, jumping classes, barrels and pole bending and a variety of other contests for entrants and their horses.
To download a flier and entry form, click on the link below.
Click here for Halloween Fun Show flier
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BACKCOUNTRY HORSEMEN NEWSLETTER
Posted September 25, 2011
The September newsletter
for the Grand Mesa Back Country Horsemen is out. Click on the link below to download a copy.
It looks like they have plenty of activities scheduled for the coming month. However, because of damage to the trail
in the Dominguez Canyon area west of the Bridgeport Bridge, the October 8 trail ride may be moved to a different location.
Click her to download September GMBCH newsletter
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| Rita and Callie at finals in Texas. Photo by John Tupa |
Trail horse TV show is a chance for Western Slope
horse to shine
Posted September 5, 2011
From The Daily Sentinel, Sunday, September 4, 2011
By BOB SILBERNAGEL
Rita Tupa hopes her friend will soon become a reality television star. There’s
no doubt that Tupa and her trail-riding companion — a paint mare officially named R Trail Callie, but called Callie
for short — will be on a reality show. They will be part of a program on HRTV called “America’s Favorite
Trail Horse,” which was organized by the American Competitive Trail Horse Association.
The show begins airing
this month, and Tupa said she and Callie will be among the horseand- rider teams featured in the second episode, which is
scheduled to be broadcast Sept. 20.
The question, for Tupa and all the other riders, is whether her horse can win
enough viewer support to be one of the cash-winning finalists. If she is, Tupa said, most of the money she wins will be donated
to an organization that helps finacially strapped horse owners provide feed for their horses, and a spay clinic for cats.
Tupa and Callie live near Almont in Gunnison County, where husband John manages a horse development known as Danni
Ranch. She has also ridden in this area, such as at the annual Trail Horse Trials in Dominguez-Escalante National Conservation
Area. (See upcoming events, below.) Tupa, 52, has been riding horses her entire life, and is a former horse trainer. Most
of her working life has involved jobs in which she rode horses, including working from horseback in feedlots and sales barns
in Nebraska, South Dakota and Texas, and working as a wrangler on a horse ranch.
Recreationally, she used to compete
in trail classes in conventional horse shows. She also has participated in sanctioned American Competitive Trail Horse Association
trail rides and in ranch competition.
Tupa acquired Callie, who is now 15, when she was an unbroke three-year-old.
She used her at a sales barn in Texas and on numerous trail rides since the family moved to Colorado three years ago. She
also learned that the quiet little mare would do almost anything asked of her. She has won in trail competition and been a
lead-line winner with Tupa’s young grandson aboard.
Tupa learned of the competition for America’s Favorite
Trail Horse back in February, through an email that announced auditions throughout the country. The closest, for her, were
in Denver or Pueblo.
She and Callie made the trip to Pueblo last April, and on a chilly, windy day, they competed
with roughly 100 other horses to become one of seven horses chosen to go to the finals in Austin, Texas, in May.
Colorado was well-represented at those finals. Of the 100 finalists, nine are from Colorado. Western Slope finalists include
Tupa, Francine Acord Brown of Rifle and Rheta Strong of Aspen.
That Texas competition involved three days of difficult
and varied trail work at the Franklin Family Ranch near Austin. It included a six-mile trail ride with obstacles such as jumps,
creek crossings, steep hills and backing the horse through a narrow, L-shaped opening in the trees. Wellknown horse trainers
from around the country, including Aaron Ralston of Silt, were on hand to offer tips to riders after they completed each section.
There were more obstacles and difficult maneuvers in a different trail area the second day, and some horses failed
to complete all of the requirements. Callie did, however.
The final day was a freestyle trail presentation, and
Tupa knew she had to do something different to win the attention of judges and the television viewers.
Several
riders had attempted to take their horses up a lengthy staircase made of earth and logs, with varying degrees of success.
Tupa and Callie easily made it to the top, and then descended. Near the bottom they stopped and, with Callie’s hindquarters
one step higher than her front legs, they sidepassed easily across the wide stairs. It was a maneuver that caught the attention
of several observers. Ralston told her, “Your horse looked like it had been doing it forever.”
She
hopes television viewers will be equally impressed. But, Tupa noted, the competition isn’t called “America’s
Best Trail Horse.” It’s “America’s Favorite Trail Horse.” So equine personality is also important,
and Tupa believes she has an advantage there.
“My little mare is a sweetheart,” she said. “All
the clinicians loved her. The spectators were attracted to her and children love to pet her. She is very willing and very
calm.”
Whether that translates into enough votes for Callie to be one of the horses that wins $5,000 or $10,000
won’t be known until later this fall.
“Please vote for Callie, No.
211,” Tupa said.
■
Viewers can watch the program beginning at 6 p.m. MDT on the cable channel HRTV.
They can also view the program, and vote for Callie, at www.actha.tv beginning that evening.
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| Rita and Callie trot over rails in trails course |
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TROUBLED TRAILS
My book, "Troubled Trails: The Meeker Affair and the Expulsion of Utes from Colorado," has been printed.
It should be available at the Museum of Western Colorado within a few weeks, and you can order it online at the University
of Utah Press website, www.uofupress.com right now.
But I'm continuing
to work on a presentation and magazine articles related to the book, and I'm amazed at how much work there is, even though
the writing of the book has been completed. Consequently, I haven't had the time I used to have to devote to this website.
I'll continue to post when I can, but it may be sporadic. — Bob Silbernagel
