Activity Archives 2003

EQUUS AMERICA
Morgans were a very real presence at Equus America in Houston February 6-9, 2003 with no little thanks to Jon May who organized, pushed and prodded everyone to make it happen. Without Jon May, this Morgan promotion simply would not have existed. Members of the two Texas clubs, Heart of Texas Morgan Horse Club and The Morgan Horse Club of Texas, presented a totally professional demonstration of Morgan versatility narrated by Jon Rivers. For the full four days of the exposition, there were ten Morgans on Breed Boulevard available for spectators to see and visit. These same ten Morgans participated in two demonstrations during Equus America each representing a separate discipline.

Historical Morgan in hand - Aswyn Je Ne Sais Quoi,
owned by Jon & Sue May, handled by Claudia Smith

Contemporary Morgan in hand – Denbury Irish Justice,
owned & shown by Julie Rehn

Hunter/Jumper – Tara’s Nevada,
owned & ridden by Jane Lea Hicks

Marathon Carriage Driving – Clarendon of Quietude,
owned & driven by Nancy Stuhl, navigator Lisa Cox

Western Pleasure – Ryan’s Believe In Me,
owned by Ryan Ranch and ridden by R.G. Corradini

English Pleasure – Denbury Silver Symphony,
ridden by Sonya Brown

Pleasure Driving – Ryan’s Dreamquest,
owned by Ryan Ranch and driven by David Hadley

Carriage Pleasure Driving – Madrona Rubicon,
owned and driven by Jon & Sue May

Dressage – Big D Vertigo,
owned and ridden by Sondra Robertson

Reining – LJ Morning Reveille,
owned & ridden by Barbara McIntyre

Morgan versatility and professionalism was very obvious to everyone. In addition to the demonstrations and Breed Boulevard, there was a Morgan booth with plenty of pictures, including the Morgan collage in the shape of Texas made for prior booths by Tricia Jumonville and a new collage of children with Morgans created by Stephanie Heinrich and titled "Children Love Morgans". The booth also had a VCR with Morgan tapes running continuously, and lots of handouts including a joint directory of the two Morgan clubs prepared by Tricia Jumonville. Claudia Smith was in charge of the booth and Tricia Jumonville was there all day every day. Also working in the booth during the four days were Lisa Cox, Barbara & Darryl Woelk, Amy Glasgow, Kathy Llanes, Gail Robertson, Marjorie Snow & sister Binca, Tom & Lois Sauer, Steve & Sue Klonowski and Steve & Sondra Robertson.

We couldn’t have done this without sponsors. Cindy Becker of Bio Innovations/Betaderm/Noni Phase I was the title sponsor providing $3500.00 for the video of Morgans at Equus for inclusion in the soon to be released Morgan series on television. We all know how great Morgans are – now we can let the rest of the world see their versatility.

The Morgan Horse Club of Texas provided $2000.00. Sponsors in the $500.00 category included SMS (Stallion Management Services) Breeding Equipment, Dodson Prairie Ranch, and the Washington Apple Council who supplied over 10 cases of Washington Apples to keep the horses and volunteers going.

Directory ads came from Fashion Ranch (Jane Lea Hicks), Aswyn-Morgan Horse Farm (Jon & Sue May), Greenbriar Farm (John & Diana McNamara), The Lippitt Club, Inc., Chuck & Jane Brown, Simply Morgans, Julie Heise at Rosewater Farm in Dousman WI, Dodson Prairie Ranch in Gordon TX, Petco Feed & Hardware, Conroe, Tx, Western Moon Creative (Fabian & Chuck West) , The Horse Gazette, Steven L. Thomas Insurance Agency, Tegeler Chevrolet/Toyota/Ford-Mercury, Stonebroke International (equine equipment), Tindo Morgans (Barbara & Elaine McIntyre & Nancy Stuhl), Cheryl Petersen (who supplied the beautiful hand painted mailbox for the raffle and the Texas horse book), Jonolyn & Stephen McCusker, Steve & Sondra Chambers Robertson, Heath Early (Montgomery County Farrier), John Warner’s Horseshoeing and Gigi & Bill Norris at Norris Training Center.

HOTMHC paid for two stalls – for Clarendon of Quietude and Ryan’s Believe in Me. All other stalls were paid for by the participants either in cash or direct sponsorships.

Other HOTMHC members & friends who helped out or just stopped by were: our ubiquitous President, Lisa Cox (fighting fires and keeping everyone on an even keel), Brian Hadley (who was everywhere, helping everyone, doing everything), Chuck Brown (heading horses and helping tear down afterwards), Elaine McIntyre (cueing in horses & setting cones for the demonstrations), John & Georgie Green who brought Morgans for Gene Brown’s clinics and Brittney Olsen (and her parents) who rode in Gene’s clinics, Jeanne Thomas & her friend Martha, Trish Crochet, Diana Heinrich & her grandmother Diana Gooch, Steven Klonowski (helping at the demonstration & booth), Tiffany Sauer, Molly Hilburn, Robby Robertson, Tom Smith with Gabby & Andrew, Cheryl Duhon, Pam Audish (who also helped at the demonstrations), Elaine Sowell, Michelle Grundeman, and Cat Cook. All told there were over 50 Morgan people at Equus America.

For those of you who didn’t get to come – you truly missed an experience! There were hundreds and hundreds of horsey booths. It wasn’t safe to take your purse or billfold – they just came back empty. Clinics galore from John Lyons, Martha Josey, Crystal Lyons and Clinton Anderson to Tom O’Carroll from Brenham doing driving clinics, Eitan Beth-Halachmy’s Cowboy Dressage, and Gene Brown doing his English pleasure clinics. There were trail safety experts, dressage and collection clinics, clippering and trail loading clinics. There were free hydrosurge baths (Clarendon got one!) and many raffles. Jon May won the big arena drag tractor attachment and Mickey got to go one on one with Lydia Hilby, the Animal Communicator. Mickey was probably reading her mind. Jane Lea Hicks won a Chris Cox halter & lead rope. There was a performance every evening of the Arabian Nights from Disney in Orlando, Florida. What a spectacle! Those people are absolutely awesome.

I hear rumors this is to be an annual event. Start making your plans to go next year. It was a fantabulous affair.