Toad HIll's the Great Gatsby

Toad Hill's the Great Gatsby (AMHA/AMHR) has been the herd stallion at Toad Hill for a number of years. While he was young, I was not able to show him, so late in his third year he went for one months worth of training and was shown only once at Rantoul, IL. For a three year old in his first show we were delighted with his placing (Reserve Grand Champion) and even more his manners while at the show with all those mares around. I am tempted to show him this year in aged stallion (2008) in a couple local shows if I do not sell him
Gatsby is a 32 inch tall dapple grey pinto, foaled in 2001. Two of his foals (Picasso and Phantom) are both Multi-Color Top Ten Champions.

Pedigree:
Sire: S Bar P's Sir Prince (32.25", black) by Stout's Blackberry (30.50", black) out of S Bar P's Missy Misty of Marion (33.00, black)
Dam: Koch's My Angel Baby (32.50", chesnut pinto) out of Little Hoof's Midget Mite (27.25, bay) by Koch's Little Brandy (36.00", chesnut)
Currently almost all the fillies at Toad Hill are by Gatsby, so we purchased Rebel. With Rebel (black and white tobiano stallion) and Rusty (overo stallion) we have thought of selling Gatsby. 

Chariots at Tulsa, 2007

The Romans Are Coming!!!

After DuQuion in the summer of 2007 and my first exposure to chariots I have to admit I've been "sucked in."

So when I got a chance to go to Tulsa Nationals, the first thing I checked was chariot classes. The chariot classes were high energy and fun to watch at DuQuoin.

If you have never been to the Tulsa arena, you will be amazed at the size of the facility. It takes literally hours to walk through all the barns and see everythiny. While we wandered around we saw the Bryant's four minis having a snack before the big event.

Later we saw Hal and his four-up team. Now there is no class for four-ups but in the parade lap the judges allowed Hal's team to circle the ring. Notice the attention to detail on the Roman costumes that the riders wear. Below is the Bryant four-up entry.

I did not make the next photo larger, because it is not really good quality, a little fuzzy, but it does show that you can drive a four-up chariot.

After the parade lap, Hal disconnected the two outer horses from the hitch and went in with a two-up chariot.

It was unfortunate that the show entries were mixed up and the team ended up being shown in with the single horse entries. Hopefully next year, the problem will be corrected with two separate classes. I know that at least one other exhibitor would have entered the team class.

Hal Bryant and Deb Bryant are found at: Bryant's Miniatures, Norris City, Illinois.

Okay, I admit, I do not know all the people who were entered in this class, but I have included some additional photos for those of you who want to see more of the chariots here they are:

It appears even the judges enjoyed this class!!
And the winner this time was:

George (Bo) Step of Stepin High Miniatures, Paris, Illinois.

No doubt I will try to see more of the chariot class. Perhaps maybe some day I too will have a chariot. Phantom (under stallions) has some training and if only I can convince my friend to build one.

Nationals - Tulsa 2008

While we chose not to take horses all the way to Tulsa, we did go down there to experience the five day long event.One of the events we watched was costume contest. I am sure there were several classes and we did not see all of them, but I thought I would post some of the pictures. If you are wondering if a three year old child can show a horse, pay attention to the size of some of the exhibitors. Naturally local shows have even more liberal classes and if they can walk and mom goes with them, even the youngest of kids can show in this class and lead line (where the kids ride and the horse is lead by an adult).

While there many good entries, I am not that good a photographer so I only have a few. Let's start with the Aliens (above)...this was a real crew!!!.

There were four aliens clad in black, the youngest was about three. Please note that alien at the end of the group. You really need a close up of this critter.

Yeap, that's a mini under all that corded baling twine. This was one of the winners in the class, no wonder...the flying saucer even blew smoke out.

Another crew had a little black mini pulling a pirate ship, and the crew included a youngster in a wheel chair. (Mini shows are equal opportunity, and there are classes for everyone..)

What costume contest would be complete without a princess. Naturally there was a little girl in a "princess style" dress carrying gifts, probably going to a birthday is my guess.

The last two photos (below) are of the same entry. As we walked around the stalls before the costume class we saw this unusual looking mini "zebra?" I did not know that they showed zebras at a miniature horse show. Later in the costume class this little guy was lead in by a youngster in safari gear.

New Blog Header

What do you think of the new blog header...it was designed by Napwarden of NWDesigns for my ad in Amercian Livestock Magazine and I liked it so much I thought I would use it as a header!!!
Three cheers for Napwarden and check out her other works at NWDesigns. She is great with Photoshop, creative at making a header like you want plus reasonably priced.

Excaliber's Typhoon Queen

One might get the impression all we have is black and white pintos. Not so, we have a number of a really nice solid color horses. One of them is a bay mare named: Excaliber's Typhoon Queen (AMHR), but we call her: Tyke.

Foaled in 2001, this six year old mare has been bred twice to date. Her first foal was a bay pinto and her second an overo filly.

We purchased Tyke because of her conformation and we knew she would be a good driving horse. Naturally, three years later and we still have not gotten around to driving her.

Like many of my minis, Tyke loves playing in the water trough, and frequently will splash all the water other of the trough if given the chance!!

Pedigree:
Sire: Vermilyea Farms Stylish Eclipse (31.75", black) by NFC Rowdy's Stylish Conclusion (31.75", AMHA) out of Silver Queen (33.50", AMHA)

Dam: Lear's Lighteningbot (34.75", bay) by FMA Cheyenne (33.00", AMHA) out of Kidwells Rosie Ogrady (AMHA)

Toad Hill's Summer Breeze (2007)

Summer Breeze was foaled in 2007. Her sire is Toad Hill's the Great Gatsby and her dam is Toad HIll's Wind in the Willows (2002 National Champion). Good ole' Willow has produced another black and white pinto that has the potential to be a color champion.

While I know we can show her to Top Ten, I am considering selling her since. If you are interested send an email and we can discuss it.

I know I should keep her, she is a close match to Kate and if she stays the same size I could end up with a matched pair. Only time will tell.

You have to admit, foals are cute and I hate to think of parting with any of them, but since I only have 10 acres I need to watch the number.

Toad Hill's Summer Breeze

Photos Taken June 29, 2012 after her first foal, a filly!

Mustardseed Legionaires Apache Gal

Apache Gal (AMHA and AMHR registered) was the other horse at Lucky Four Farms that interested me. She is a direct daughter of Flying W Farms Legionaire (foaled in 1988- photo is current) and bred to Lucky Fours Rebels Regency. Although an older mare she still looked very impressive.

I had several concerns about her foaling. Apache Gal was "southern" horse and had been bred to foal in March. Illinois weather is so unpredictable I was afraid that the foal would come while it was terribly cold. But the mare was smart and waited for a warm spell and dropped her foal before it got cold again. We named him Sid (foaled 2007) and he looks worth the wait.

I ran across this photo of Apache Gal and Sid and decided I had to include it.

Pedigree:
Sire: Flying W Farms Legionaire (30.25", AMHA) by Flying W Farms Sugarfoot (28.00", AMHA) out of Flying W Farms Lizette (32.00")

Dam: San Antonois Foxey Lady (32.00", AMHA) by Del Whistler (30.50", AMHA) out of Joy of Hopewell (32.00", AMHA)

Below is a photo of Legionaire

Lucky Four RebelChase RebelHeir

UPDATES:

Photos from 2012 - Rebel is a Non-fading black.

Until 2008 the stallions we have used were mostly from our our breeding. Toad Hill's the Great Gatsby has been a super stallion but we thought it was time to find one that could enhance the foals we produced. After a good deal of searching (mostly on the Internet) we found Lucky Four Farms. The horse we contacted about was sold, but there was this black and white pinto out in the field with the yearlings Wade thought might interest us. He sent photos, we flew out to N.C. to see the horse and bought him on the spot. That was Rebel with the funny name.

Lucky Four Rebelchase Rebelheir is an awful long name to dump on such a nice looking horse, but it links back to his breeding: Rebelchase --the sire Lucky Fours Rebel Chasin Rainbows, and his grand sire -- Sid's Rebel.

Pedigree:
Sire: Lucky Four Rebels Chasin Rainbows (32.50", sorrel pinto-photo to right) by Sids Rebel (31.00, sorrel) out of Glenns Calico Kitten (AMHA)
Dam: Glory Be Farms Painted Jingle (33.75, black pinto) by Glory Be Farms Chocolate Chip (AMHA) out of Glory Be Farm Rebels Lady Jingle (AMHA)
Reference photos at this page.
Rebel will be shown in selected shows in 2008, including we hope some AMHA shows. In 2007 Rebel was the National All Stars Champion in Multi-Color Stallions/Gelding Under 34".

Copied from Facebook - Aug. 15, 2012
All I can say is WOW! Lucky Four Rebels Chasin Rainbows! This stallion is amazing. I was so glad to get him updated photos because he looks better than ever! He measured straight up, square at 33". He is 11 years old. He is a World Champion as well as a multi World Champion sire and a multi Honor Roll Champion sire. He is a once in a lifetime stallion that is ready to put your farm on the map. Please PM me for details. To see more photos of Chase please go to www.starsminiatures.com. There are lots of them! I also have a video of him tracking and a pic of his bite. They are all good. He is priced at $12,500. Enjoy!!

Toad Hill's Wind in the Willows

Toad Hill's Wind in the Willows (AMHR) was the 2002 National Champion All Stars Multi-Color Mare Over. The photo to the left is Willow the year she won the title.

Willow has consistantly produced nicely colored foals. Included among her produce are Phantom, Kiss Me Kate, Picasso, and Breeze.

All Willow's foals have been black and white pintos with the exception of Phantom who is a dapple grey pinto. I suspect that he is a base black but the dappling covers it. Willow is expected to foal in May and it is likely that foal will be for sale or we may decide to sell her 2007 filly (photo below). She is bred to Toad Hill's the Great Gatsby (AMHA, AMHR). Gatsby is the sire of Picasso, Phantom and Breeze.

In 2008 Willow won the National Champion Produce of Dam. Her two offspring that were shown that year were Toad Hill's Paint Me Picasso and Toad Hill's Kiss Me Kate. Both were also National Champions in the multi-color class. When you think of mares, I believe you can say that Willow is one of the top producers of multi-color champions. As of this blog she has produced three in that class. We will not be showing any of her offspring in 2009 because last year we showed four horses and this year are relaxing a little. However next year, who knows...with Willow just having another great looking foal, we may be back and show in produce, color and get of sire as well. We currently own Kate, Picasso, Summer Breeze and new foal. Phantom (her 2006 champion) was sold to DeLynn Decker in Provo, Utah and will become a therapy horse. Good luck Phantom!!

To the left is a included a photo of her 2007 filly, Toad Hill's Summer Breeze. Breeze who is now a year old (I edited this blog in May, 2008) is looking even better and next yer most likely will be shown.
Willow's pedigree is below.

Pedigree:
Sire: WF Flashy Boy
Dam: Quincy Made Patchworks

Kate and Picasso

Kate, a two year filly in front, and Picasso, Kate's yearling brother in back, are both out of Toad Hill's Wind in the Willows. When we started the 2007 seasion it had not occurred to us that they could also be showing in Produce of Dam (two horses out of the same dam). Four weekends into the season, it finally dawned on us that they could be entered in that class. Frankly I have a theory that some paint patterns are dominant, and the pattern that Willow has seems to be typical of every foal she has thrown. The two looked like book ends, with similar patterns on opposite sides. Additionally there were within two inches of each other in height...this all contributed to them being hard to beat in the show ring.

I am pleased to present to you the National All Star Champions of Produce of Dam for 2007.