Memoir Monday, July 11, 1964

Two years into the cowboy girl life now. I suppose this was one of the better days really. 

July 11, 1964 , Sat

I got up at 5:30 and got busy promptly-fed, ate, led up, hauled water etc. I wore old clothes but took nice ones with  me. We fed at the pasture and went off later than we wished. We missed a few halter classes; too bad. A half sister to George Christiansen’s filly was there, won her class and made reserve champion filly. Mr Cummings was there with three--among his herd was a stud Pat’s age who had already settled two mares and kicked him in the head. His glasses were broken and he nearly got killed. The Johnsons and many others were there. Claire pulled her horse too hard and made him balk on the jumps. You can’t afford to be heavy handed. The class of the horses has improved and there are more entries but the manners are not any better--of either horses or handlers. Ugh. Peterson’s horse didn’t do too well. They say Chief’s filly is now white so they didn’t show her. The ApHC has some novel ideas such as a trailer race etc. which are real crowd pleasers but they are awfully amateurish and not pro. We got home fairly early and I rode out, delivering Rufus to the pasture on my way. Charlie Mike stayed home and cleaned corrals. It is now 10:00 and time for bed since we may get up early tomorrow for the rest of show. Damn, I’m tired. And Mom hasn’t done her share of planning on the ranch stuff so we wait again. Goddam it anyway.

This event was the annual Appaloosa Horse show in Flagstaff. We had gone in 1963 so I already knew how things went.   The normal feeding and basic chores had to be done every day, regardless, and that was expected. I have no idea where I changed from my work grubbies into nicer clothes. It could have been in he loading chute at the pasture I suppose or in a restroom at the fairgrounds after we got there.

I don' know how many readers here are horse show familiar! I was pretty well into the rotine by this time. Most mid-level shows  basically follow a pattern.  The first day is mostly halter classes. There are many for every age bracket and both genders of equines. In a halter class, the handler leads the horse into and around the ring while the judge looks at it--and all the others in that group--and evaluates the animal's conformation, how well it represents the breed in terms of shape, sometimes color and how it moves and to a lesser degree how well it behaves. There are usually several ribbons awarded, sometimes a trophy to the top winner, and the colors go from blue, to red, white and on down past green which is 6th place.  

Unless you have a horse in the competition or know some of them, this is not a reallyexciting day! Of course the George Chritiansen mentioned was also a Clarkdale resident. He had recently acquired a   young Appaloosa female. The next year  he bred her to our stallion, Yavapi Chief and her colt was named Tuzogoot, and a nicely marked appy he was.

I do not place Mr Cummings--though I clearly was familiar with him at this time. I do vaguely recall the accident. That young stud was not well behaved and under control. It was a bit shocking! The state of training and manners of many of the horses did not impress me.  In fact I would have been mortified to be seen in public with animals acting up the way a number that I saw did. Admittedly in the registered/purebred horse venue, mares and young colts were often not trained much--no one would ride them etc. but  they should walk calmly on a lead and certainly not rear, kick, paw or run off. But some did!

The second day is mostly the perfomance classes where the owner or more often a paid trainer puts the horse thrugh its paces in various events from western pleasure  to trail horse, gaits, even sometimes some jumps or other obstacles to be navigated. In some there are events  like calf penning, breakaway roping and gymkana events like barrel or stake racing and relays.At this time the Appaloosa Horse Club  of America (ApHC,) was newer and much less orgaized and actually 'pofessional' than older breeds like the Quarter Horse and Arabian.

Rufus was a big old mule we had gotten from a dealer in Phooenix who gave u a good deal on a big load of hay if we would take the mule off his hands for a modest price. He was a gentle nice animal but very big, almos tinto the draft animal size, and barely suitable as a saddle animal  but we rode him a bit and Charley Bryant had him for awhile when the old trainer waa caught between horses and training jobs and almost afoot. He did not drive so needed some animal transportation,

What the latest 'ranch planning' project was I do not recall. I was appaently miffed that mom had not done 'her share' of whatever paper work or other things were required. She was never too enthusiastic and in retrospect I cannot blame her a bit for that! As time went on I became much less so myself.

Hard to find photos for this. I know I never had one of Rufus. He was big and red and rather ordinary looking.  If Dad took pictures at the show I cannot find them and I did not. Let's see--one of me in a dressier outfit such as I might have worn that day.  Then a mare we kept briefly for the owners so she could be bred by Chief.  She was a fairly typical Appaloosa. And another view of Yavapai Chief.