Whilst quiet at this time of year regarding Judging and with 2018 dates being booked up already I thought it would be worth trying for a few more approved judge's cards.

Retraining of Racehorses (RoR):  As I judge a lot of TBs / ex racehorses in my general judging I decided to try for the RoR card.   I attended a judging applicant seminar nr. Gloucester which included assessing and commenting on five in hand ex racehorses (conformation, movement, condition etc) and then being questioned on the rule book.  I passed so am now an RoR judge .

American Miniature Horse Association USA:  In October I went over to Tampa, Florida to attend the 2017 Small Equine Judges Seminar.  The first day was a 100 closed book rule book test (passed) , video testing, 5 panel interview.  The second day was a seminar for approved/applicant judges held by Ricky Wardlaw of of Cygnet Farms TN and Sami Scheuring of CA.   Very interesting.

  On the third day there was a judging seminar for the American Shetland Pony Club, American Miniature Horse Registry and American Show Pony Registry conducted by Amber Kildow and Sandy Croote.  Again very interesting and informative and will certainly help me when judging miniatures in the UK. I was not taking my ASPC.AMHR card but was there so why not attend?    I already hold a British Miniature Horse Society and Foreign Breed Society card but the American type and way of showing is certainly different.

It was so lovely being in a warm place in October.  Tampa FL  was very warm and using the outdoor swimming pool in October was a bit strange .... but nice.  Met some lovely interesting people - all American of course.  I was the only European - which certainly pleased the AMHA LOC committee members.

I have since heard from the AMHA USA that I have now been accepted into the AMHA Apprentice Judging Programme and have to apprentice three AMHA approved shows prior to being issued my official card (just like I had to do for my APHC USA judging card).  So I am going to do my  first apprentice AMHA show after attending the CBC International Judges Seminar in Tulsa OK (which I have to do every three years to keep my APHC USA card updated).   I will then fly down to Ocala FL for the Orange Blossom MHC show to probation the AMHA classes prior to coming home.  Let us hope it is still warm!

Then I will see if I can apprentice in the UK or Europe.  Miniature shows are becoming more popular so thought it would be nice to try for my AMHA USA card.

           Top pics are views from the hotel. 

My pick ups BIG twin brother ................I wish!

Having recently received a letter from the Directors of the APHC UK recognising that the APHC UK is a "custodian of the breed" and wanting to update the APHC UK Stallion Page/Breeders Guide it got me thinking about what we have achieved since we started out in 1992 with the purchase of Lizzie of Larchmont in foal to Amazing Blue and producing our wonderful mare Mannog April Blues in 1993. And so the story begins......

This APHC UK letter goes on about asking for  details of stallions, their progeny and appreciating the contribution that the Appaloosa stallions that have been standing in the UK (or are still standing) have made to the breed.  Apparently the APHC UK are also considering a Hall of Fame section although what the criteria will be is unknown to me. 

So, as I said,  it got me thinking about all our Appaloosas we have bred either sired by our own multi champion APHC USA stallions Mannog Moonshadow and Mannog Moonriver or outside stallions (A Design Legend/Wa Ha Dar/Private B Riker/Zip Chip Leaguer AQHA /Mighty Straw Man).  We have always used American pedigrees as they give us what we want to breed -  great conformation , type and temperament (although we do have some TB in the mix way back!).  This has given us the bloodlines of  Amazing Blue, Bar Do'Or, Goer, The Executive, Roman's Straw Man, Hayes Roman Cloud, Prince Plaudit, Bright Eyes Brother, Zippo Pine Bar, Leaguers Last, Barpasser etc etc . Some of our stock are FPD registered but with American bloodlines.  Within our part breds we have/had Spotless Rainbow, August Harrier and Klaus.

We even dabbled into the coloureds once and produced a stunning skewbald Mannog Rainman ( Jatricka WB x Brodie Dales)!

So below is a list (in no particular order and not exhaustive as I know I will have missed some!) of what we have bred ourselves and those who have used our stallions in the past (with thanks to the Capitall Stud, Constant Appaloosas, Staroak Stud, Catherine Wager, Sharon Nimmo and others whom I cannot remember!)

Mannog Moonshadow/Mannog Moonriver/Mannog Zips Candyman/Mannog Cracklin Rose/Mannog Lily The Pink/Mannog Starman/Mannog Zips Mamma Mia/Mannog Roobee Tuesday/Mannog All That Jazz/Mannog Zips Imagine/Mannog Paint It Black/Mannog Juliette/Mannog Just in Time/Mannog Rock DJ/Mannog Mr Bo Jangles/ Mannog Pretty Woman/Mannog Penny Lane/Mannog Chantilly Lace/Mannog Peggy Sue/Mannog King Creole/Capitall Lola/Capitall Clare/Capitall Selina/Capitall Ainsley/Staroak Dallas Dream/Staroak Mississippi Star/Staroak Yankee Doodle/Staroak Shadows Dream/Celestial Belle/Highly Addictive/I Believe in Angels/Constant Silver River.

The above are main or part bred registered  either in the USA , UK or both.  They include multiple Supreme Champions, Reserve Champions, Youngstock, Male & Female Champions, USA Grand and Reserve Champions and part bred Champions.  We have won Get of Sire and Produce of Dam classes.  Some of the above have also proved themselves in ODE, Dressage, Show Jumping and the show ring whether English or Western. Some are valueable broodmares producing winners and some are just much loved doing not much and some, sad to say, are no longer with us or we have just lost contact with them.