2008 News
To begin with, I apologize for neglecting the website for such a long time! Like everyone else, the work load never seems to let up and with all the hats I wear there's always something else taking priority!
Congratulations to all the accomplishments Janet and her mare Carmen have achieved over the past 2 years. They have come such a long way! Janet's broodmare "Sugar" is for sale (Zippo Pat Bar grand daughter) along with her current dun filly. She also has a two year old Shining Spark bred gelding currently in training that is for sale as well. Her 4 year old colt, SB, is riding like a pro and will certainly be somebody some day, hopefully with Janet aboard! Earning her year-end award with the saddle club shows Janet's commitment to her riding and her horses.
Maria is attending college in Oklahoma and Keisha is in Albuquerque. Neither are showing this year but have chosen to focus on school instead; Maria as an equine training major and Keisha working toward a career hopefully in equine massage.
Karen has several new additions to her herd, notably a very cute chocolate mare named "Hope". With Cindy's help she is learning how to tackle the mountains of Taos!
Cindy is doing well with her Arabian stallion "Hondo". This is a highly disciplined stud horse that rides next to mares in trailers, on rides and in shows. Cindy has done a world class job teaching him how to have manners everywhere he goes....very impressive!
Congratulations to the Ranch Horse Association of America (RHAA) and their president, Jim Frank Richardson, for all their success this past year. Jim Frank's outstanding gelding "Detour" is a regular at the ranch horse shows and his new mount, "CD" made his show debut recently. This Association does great things for advancing and preserving good using ranch horses and everyone should support their shows and clinics! I want to mention that I had the pleasure of watching portions of Bill Smith's clinic at the Tucumcari Ranch Horse Competition and it was one of THE best clinics I have seen in a long time! I also thoroughly enjoyed time with Bob Moorhouse, Bill Smith, Jim Frank Richardson, the Matador Ranch (Bob Kilmer, JD, Mickey, Tim etc...) and all the great cowboys and cowgirls that competed!
I had the pleasure of starting a horse for past National Cutting Horse Association (NCHA) president, Jimmy Randall's and his son Richard this spring. This little sorrel mare is really handy and will now move to TX for cutting training under one of the NCHA's/AQHA's best. We wish her well and hope to see her at the futurities or world show!
Welcome Dr. Bessie Babbit to Taos and Tucumcari! She is a refreshing equine professional and accomplished rider. She recently performed for her clients at a demo in Taos and the reviews were spectacular! Having watched her ride some of my horses after only a few weeks in training I have to say she is a lovely rider and can handle green mounts. Bessie also gave me the opportunity to ride her high school trained Andalusion stallion a few ago. What a neat horse!
In other news, Heather graduated from High School in KS. It seems like it was just yesterday when she purchased "Pete", the wonderful paint gelding that carried her to the APHA world show multiple times. Heather has grown into a lovely young lady and ideal rodeo queen, representing paint and other clubs and finally her home state of KS.
It was a sad September 2007 when Leroy Webb lost his wife of many years, Nora, in a tragic car crash on our road. Leroy has shown he has the strength to endure and is breeding dozens of mares this year to his "Hollywood Dun It" bred stallion, a gift from the Kyle family. He has also shown his farming skills as of late by planting and growing some mighty fine hay!
We continue to be in a drought here in the west and desperately need some rain. Irrigation water is limited this year so the hay crop will not be great, again. PRAY FOR RAIN!