Take a look at the 10 most popular FREE reports on America’s Horse Daily.

Summer is around the corner. Have you completed those spring goals you set for yourself?

America’s Horse Daily has dozens of FREE reports to help you become a better rider, trainer, competitor and horse owner.

Download as many as you want, and print copies for your barn, home and trailer. Share them with family and friends.

1. Horse Color and Marking Chart – The AQHA Horse Color and Markings Chart has a world of horse markings and color information packed into just one page.
2. Horse Trailer Loading Tips – Bill Van Norman gives tips on how to keep your temper while training a horse to load into a trailer.
3. Quarter Horse Coat Color Genetics – This 20-page free report is helpful when determining a new foal’s color.
4. HYPP Survival Guide – Learn how to prepare for and deal with a horse affected by HYPP.
5. How to Make a Rope Halter – Two experts at Columbia Basin Knot Company shared with The American Quarter Horse Journal their 34-step process for making a quality homemade rope halter.
6. How to Build a Mounting Block – AQHA consulted an expert woodworker for a homemade mounting block that can become a staple of your barn aisle or arena.
7. Showmanship Basics – Trainers Brad and Valerie Kearns give you tips and tricks about every aspect of showmanship from basic maneuvers to picking out the right show halter for your horse.
8. Trail Ride Safety Tips – This free report will keep you and your Quarter Horse out of harm’s way when you’re on the trail.
9. Cowboy Etiquette – Learn the rules of the ranch and impress your crew with your knowledge of old-time manners.
10. Halter Breaking Your Foal – Learn how siblings Tom, Wayne and Margo Ball of Balls’ Quarter Horses use old-fashioned horsemanship in their halter breaking.

Want more great information for free? America’s Horse Daily has many more FREE reports!

America’s Horse magazine is the most-popular AQHA member benefit. Are you receiving this award-winning publication 10 times a year? If not, renew your AQHA membership today! In addition to your subscription to America’s Horse, you’ll enjoy hundreds of dollars in savings each year from our generous corporate partners, as well as access to AQHA’s events and programs to help you enjoy your horse to the fullest. Join AQHA today and keep America’s Horse coming!

The first Calgary Stampede, held in 1912, was a tribute to Western heritage and values, and that’s a tradition that remains today.

After 100 years of changes and improvements, the Calgary Stampede shows no signs of slowing down.

By Tina Zakowsky for the Calgary Stampede

For 10 days every July, the city of Calgary, Alberta, transforms into a tribute to the Wild West era.

Downtown lawyers and CEOs of multinational corporations trade their business suits for blue jeans and cowboy boots. Office buildings and retail stores are decorated with corral fence boards and straw bales. Country music can be heard on nearly every corner. Locals and tourists gather for free pancakes and coffee. Calgarians and visitors alike embrace the Calgary Stampede spirit and celebrate Western heritage and values. After 100 years, there is no end in sight for this amazing festival with humble roots.

Before there was a Calgary Stampede, the Calgary and District Agricultural Society organized an exhibition that was held in October 1886. In 1889, the Calgary and District Agricultural Society acquired 94 acres of land from the Dominion of Canada and built a racetrack, cattle sheds and an exhibition building. This land remains the site of Stampede Park today.

The Calgary Exhibition remained a modest annual event. Then in 1908, a cowboy named Guy Weadick performed in the exhibition as a trick roper. He was also a skilled promoter who wanted to create a tribute show to the Wild West. It took him four years, but he arranged $100,000 in financing from a group of influential ranchers and businessmen who came to be known as the Big Four: George Lane, Patrick Burns, A. J. McLean and A. E. Cross. With their financial support, the first Calgary Stampede took place in September 1912.

The six-day event was a success. Guy arranged for 400 head of Mexican steers and as many wild horses as he could find to be brought to the Stampede grounds from nearby ranches. The funding provided by the Big Four meant $20,000 in prize money drew top rodeo competitors from across North America, as it was nearly quadruple the prize money offered at any other North American rodeo competition.

While the natural horsemanship revolution has revitalized the horse-training methods of the old west, what has become of rules for cowboy etiquette? Download the FREE Cowboy Etiquette report today!

Nearly 2,000 First Nations people participated in the parade, which was attended by an estimated 80,000 people – an astonishing number because Calgary’s population at the time was just over 60,000. The Duke of Connaught and Princess Patricia watched the Stampede from a viewing box built especially for the royal guests.

Tom Three Persons of the Kainai First Nation won the saddle bronc championship, the most coveted prize, for riding a horse named Cyclone to a standstill. The rodeo events at the first Stampede were much different than today’s Stampede Rodeo. For example, there were no chutes. In the bucking bronco event, horses were blindfolded. The last cowboy or cowgirl who remained on horseback was declared the winner.

Most of the major events offered a first-place prize of $1,000, a saddle and a gold belt buckle. Guy encouraged people to dress western throughout the Stampede and offered cash prizes for the best-dressed cowboys, cowgirls, Indians and even store fronts.

Despite the success, the Stampede was not held again until 1919. That year’s event was the Great Victory Stampede, celebrating the end of the war.

Guy convinced working ranches to enter their authentic chuckwagons and roundup crews into the first Rangeland Derby in 1923. The winner was the first team to round a figure-8 track and light a fire in his stove. Prizes totaled $275. Bill Sommers, a stagecoach driver from the Yukon, won the first Rangeland Derby.

In 1923, the Stampede was held in conjunction with the Calgary Exhibition. The combined event was such a success that it has been held every July since then.

The first Stampede breakfast was also held in 1923. A chuckwagon driver named “Wildhorse Jack” Morton camped at the Canadian Pacific Railway station in downtown Calgary. Jack cooked his breakfast pancakes on a stove in the back of his chuckwagon and shared them with his friends. He began inviting people who were passing by to join them, giving birth to a Calgary Stampede tradition. Pancake breakfasts are held every day at various locations throughout the 10-day festival and are as integral to the Stampede as the parade, cowboy hats and roping.

The first Calgary Stampede Queen, Patsy Rodgers, was appointed in 1946. In 1947, a contest was held, adding a princess to the Stampede Royalty, and in 1948, a second princess was added. The tradition of the Calgary Stampede Queen and Princesses continues today.

AQHA’s Cowboy Etiquette FREE report is the perfect guide for aspiring and professional cowboys. This fun and useful guide will help everyone learn how to manage the chaos of a working ranch.

It was 1946 that also saw the debut of an internationally recognized symbol of the Calgary Stampede — the white cowboy hat. The Herron ranching/oil family wore the first white felt hats made by Smithbilt that year. In 1949, Mayor Don Mackay donned a white Smithbilt hat on a mission to promote Calgary and began handing out the white hat to visiting dignitaries. The white cowboy hat has become such a symbol of Calgary that white cowboy hats are often presented to visiting dignitaries and celebrities as a welcoming gift to Calgary.

Guy Weadick’s last appearance at the Stampede was in the parade in 1952, one year before he died. He was inducted into the Canadian Rodeo Hall of Fame in 1982.

The 1970s saw several significant developments for the Stampede. The Calgary Stampede Showband led the Stampede parade for the first time in 1971. In 1976, attendance broke 1 million for the first time. This attendance threshold has been met or exceeded at every Stampede since 1985. The first chuckwagon canvas auction, in 1979, provided businesses the chance to bid for advertisement space on the chuckwagon canvasses.

The Stampede announced the “half million dollar rodeo” in 1982. Each main rodeo event competitor vied for a $50,000 prize in the showdown, which at the time was the richest prize ever offered in the history of the sport. Today’s Stampede Rodeo is still among the world’s richest rodeos, offering over $2 million dollars in prize money.

Guy created a template for the Stampede. His vision was to have the city and First Nations people involved, to have good international ties, to invite celebrities, to have a good volunteer program and, of course, to have the ideal location. This template has been followed for 100 years.

Now, the Calgary Stampede is a non-profit organization with approximately 350 full-time staff members, 3,500 Stampede-time staff and 2,100 volunteers on 47 committees who dedicate themselves to making sure that The Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth lives up to its name.

After 100 years of changes and improvements, the Calgary Stampede shows no signs of slowing down. Staff, volunteers, Calgarians and visitors are all looking forward to seeing what the next 100 years will bring to The Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth.

The Big Four

In 1912, Guy Weadick convinced four wealthy citizens to provide funding to establish the Calgary Stampede, a tribute to the West and its cowboy heritage. The four citizens who funded Guy’s dream were George Lane, Patrick Burns, A. J. McLean and A. E. Cross.

George Lane and his partners purchased the Bar U Ranch. George was an excellent cowboy and a leader. He achieved international recognition as a center of breeding excellence for cattle and purebred Percheron horses between 1902 and 1925. His world-class Percherons were bred to meet the demand for draft horses by homestead settlers.

Patrick Burns enjoyed success in the ranching and meat packing industries. The P. Burns and Co. Ltd. meat packing company was established in Calgary in 1890. It became one of the largest businesses of its kind in the world, with branches in London, Liverpool and Yokohama. Patrick also worked as a cattle buyer. He owned large amounts of land, which he used to raise cattle.

Just as it is important for a cowboy to know how to work around his horse, he must know how to work with his team. Download a FREE copy of Cowboy Etiquette.

Archie “A. J.” McLean came to Alberta in 1886 to work with cattle. In 1887, he became manager of the CY Ranch of the Cypress Cattle Co. near the southern Alberta town of Taber. He established his own company to ship cattle to the British Isles.

Alfred Ernest “A. E.” Cross came to Calgary from Ontario in 1884 as a veterinarian and assistant manager of the British-American Horse Ranch Co. In 1885, he started his own ranch, the A7, near the southern Alberta town of Nanton, thereby becoming one of the West’s most prominent cattlemen. The A7 is still owned by the Cross family and remains one of the largest ranches in the West. Then, in 1892, Alfred founded the Calgary Brewing and Malting Co.

All four of these men were also involved in politics. A. E. Cross, George Lane and A. J. McLean were elected members of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta and Patrick Burns was appointed to the Senate of Canada. They were respected businessmen and great leaders.

Tina Zakowsky (née Schwartzenberger) is a member of the International Agriculture committee and editor of the Profile. She can be reached at tzakowsky@shaw.ca.

In celebration of Mother’s Day, May 13, let’s honor some prolific mares of our industry.

Take our broodmare quiz, and find out if you're a broodmare expert! Journal photo.

Most people can agree that great mothers leave an impression that will last a lifetime and that a mother’s words of wisdom will forever play a role in your conscience. The same can be said for the broodmares in the Quarter Horse industry. We’re thankful to broodmares for creating the great breed of horses that we know today, passing on their disposition, athletic ability and talent to their offspring.

As rancher Jim Hunt has said, “A lot of old-timers, the horse breeders with wisdom, they’ll say that a mare is 75 percent of what you get as far as the offspring.”

Credit should be given where credit is due, and all American Quarter Horse broodmares deserve proper recognition.

Struggling to find the perfect Mother’s Day gift for mom this year? Shop Quarter Horse Outfitters and enjoy 30% off your online order through May 15, 2012, using Promo Code IHEARTMOM.

In honor of Mother’s Day and all the fantastic broodmares of the past and present, we created a short quiz to test your knowledge of famous broodmares! Test yourself and see if you know all about the influential broodmares of AQHA, or if you should spend a little more time reading up on bloodlines.

Good Luck! (Scroll to the bottom for the answers.)

Broodmare Quiz

1. This mare is the dam of Shiners Lena Doc, A Shiner Named Sioux and Shiney Sushi. A Shiner Named Sioux was AQHA’s 2011 junior working cow horse world champion and 2010 junior reining world champion. Shiney Sushi was the 2012 National Reined Cow Horse Association open bridle world champion.
2. This mare holds the No. 8 spot on the National Reining Horse Association dams list. Some of her successful offspring include Whizkey N Diamonds and Cromed Out Mercedes
3. This mare has proven herself in the show ring and breeding barn. She is an AQHA Superhorse and the dam of Nic It In The Bud, Dun It Big and Lights R Red, just to name a few.
4. This mystery dam holds the No. 4 spot on the National Cutting Horse Association dams list. She is the dam of Dual Smart Rey, WR This Cats Smart, One Smart Lookin Cat and Smart Lookin Hi Brow.
5. This mare holds the coveted No. 1 spot on the NRCHA dams list. She is the dam of Smart Time Tuck, Tuckers Smart Cat, Lil Time To Smoke, She Smokes Smart and Smart Tucker Smoke. (Hint: Journal Subscribers, you read about this mare in the April 2012 issue of The American Quarter Horse Journal!)

How did you fare?

1-2 correct: Maybe you should consider checking out the records section on AQHA.com or catching up with the latest American Quarter Horse Journal.
3-4 correct: Good job! You know enough to recognize some of the most influential broodmares of today.
All 5 correct: You are a complete whiz! It’s evident that you recognize the importance of these outstanding mothers in the Quarter Horse industry.

We know you’re dedicated to taking care of those special mamas in your barn. AQHA’s Mare Care: Breeding Tips free report will guide you through the processes of preparing your mare, targeting a breeding date, ordering semen, inducing a follicle to ovulate, receiving and evaluating semen and much more.

Answers:

1. Docs Sulena
2. Princess In Diamonds
3. Genuine Redbud
4. The Smart Look
5. Smoke Time Tuck

Horses may have contracted equine herpesvirus type-1 from a trail ride in Tennessee.

Information provided by Tennessee officials describe horses as presenting varying symptoms that include neurological abnormalities. (Journal photo)

From the Kentucky State Veterinarians Office

On May 9, the Tennessee Department of Agriculture alerted Kentucky’s Agriculture Commissioner, James Comer, and staff in the Kentucky State Veterinarians Office of Dr. Robert Stout of an illness affecting horses that had participated in the Bucksnort Trail Ride held in Tennessee in late April. Information provided by Tennessee officials describe horses as presenting varying symptoms that include neurological abnormalities. The information released on May 9 also provided that the illness has resulted in four equine deaths with four additional horses demonstrating similar symptoms. On May 10, officials learned that preliminary diagnostic testing gives evidence that one or more of the sick horses may have contracted equine herpesvirus type-1 (EHV-1).

Management at the trail ride provided Tennessee officials with a listing of participants that included seven Kentucky residents. These individuals participated with eight horses originating from the Kentucky counties of Edmonson, Logan, Simpson, Todd and Warren. One of the horses is included as a fatality of the illness. Veterinarians and the owners of the remaining seven horses all report that the horses returned from the trail ride in good form and remain bright, alert, responsive and healthy this morning. The seven remaining horses are not known to have direct contact with any sick animal and will continue to be monitored closely. Diagnostic samples collected from the single ill horse residing in Kentucky prior to its death have been submitted for diagnostic testing. Other horses residing on this same farm are under veterinary restriction pending a determination as to what caused the horse’s illness.

Continue reading about this recent EHV-1 outbreak.

The United States Department of Agriculture has confirmed two cases of vesicular stomatitis virus in Otero County, New Mexico.

Vesicular stomatitis is a viral disease that primarily affects cattle, horses, and swine. (Journal photo)

The United States Department of Agriculture has confirmed two cases of vesicular stomatitis virus in Otero County, New Mexico, which is about 90 miles south of Ruidoso. This is the first confirmation  of the disease in the U.S. since a June 2010 outbreak.

USDA and the New Mexico Livestock Board have initiated an investigation and the farm is under quarantine. Three other unaffected horses located on the farm have been isolated from the positive animals. There are no known traceouts at this time.

Would you like to learn more about the recent vesicular stomatitis outbreaks? Continue reading here.

The horse community aids AQHA members caught in a deadly Kentucky tornado.

By Tracey Berry and Connie Lechleitner for The American Quarter Horse Journal

Walking into the indoor arena of Rockin M Farms in Demossville, Kentucky, was overwhelming – hundreds of people had gathered to show their generosity to Bill and Rhonda McCardle and their four children. The family had lost everything in an outbreak of violent and deadly storms in the Northern Kentucky region in early March.

The large metal building, normally used to train some of the area’s best contest horses, had been painstakingly converted into a banquet hall. An array of red, white and blue plastic covered tables sat atop a thoughtfully tamped arena floor. While the band crooned away perched on the back of a flat-bed truck, potential bidders eyed the endless tables of generously donated items for the auction later that evening.

Long-time friends and organizers of the event, Theresa Peoples and Sarah Mann, said folks from around the country were calling to see what they could do to help. More than 500 tickets had been sold. Some folks had driven for hours from surrounding states to show their support for a family that was known for giving so much to the horse community. It was now everyone’s turn to give back.

Following a meal of chicken, pork, green beans, potatoes and salad, guests jumped into the live auction that included everything from specialty cakes to 100 bales of hay and grain – and continued for more than two hours.

“I have an embroidery shop, and people just kept bringing in all kinds of donations,” Theresa said. “Some sent items from as far as Maine and Colorado.”

“It took several trips just to get it all to the arena. The specialty cakes and pies alone brought in more than $1,000, and a signed picture of Secretariat brought $1,100,” she continued. “We even sold the two hay wagons we used, one to display the auction items and one that people sat on. We had a live band, but they only got to play for an hour due to all the auction items.”

One of the highlights of the evening was a presentation of a replacement AQHA World Championship Show jacket to Bill and Rhonda’s daughter Gina McCardle. She had won the jacket with Kolton Dan last fall.

“AQHA was great to work with on the jacket,” said Theresa. “That jacket meant the world to Gina, and it was lost in the tornado. I wanted to see if I could get a replacement for her. When you try to do something like this, you just don’t know even where to start, but you tell your story until someone can help you. In this case it only took one phone call. I presented the jacket to Gina along with her future mother-in-law, Debby Hyland, and Gina was so surprised that she just cried and cried.”

As folks watched her proudly put on her new jacket they were reminded of yet another reason for celebration….her upcoming wedding on April 14. Despite having a tornado level the family’s home and barns, Gina miraculously found her wedding rings in a debris covered drawer in the remains of the basement – just where she had left them.

“It was really amazing to see that house leveled with no sides, no roof and no floor, but those rings were still down there” Theresa said.

One can’t help but think that with those kind of odds this union is definitely meant to be.

Bill and Rhonda, married 40 years this April, bought property in the late ’70s and began their dream of raising horses and kids. McCardles’ Hidden Stables near Old Lexington Pike in Crittenden, Kentucky, was home to the young couple and their four children, Rachel, Becky, Gina and Will. The family started out with very little – a few horses, some tack and a lot of determination. “We did everything ourselves, but we did it together as a family,” Rhonda and Bill said.

Heavily involved in 4-H, AQHA and the National Barrel Horse Association, these active members of both the Mideast Kentucky and Eastern Kentucky Quarter Horse associations, have tirelessly volunteered their time to help organize and run numerous events around the state, including the 4-H district and state shows.

“All involved in horses in Kentucky know Bill and Rhonda,” said Missy Jo Hollingsworth, president of the Mideast Kentucky Quarter Horse Association. “They have spent countless hours donating their time and money for our youth … countless hours.

The McCardle children, successfully competing in everything from county fairs to the All American Quarter Horse Congress to the AQHA World Championship Show, were always there by their parents’ sides.

“We’re a horse show family. It’s what we do,” the kids said. “Some folks go to the beach for a vacation….we load up our trailers and go to shows!”

Bill, a youth team adviser for more than 10 years said, “Horses have taught the kids about compassion, responsibility and hard work … the things you need to know to get ahead in life.”

Winter, like in so many parts of the country this year, was unseasonably warm; for that early in March, residents of Northern Kentucky were more apt to be scraping ice off of their windshields than happily going off to work without a coat. But on that first Friday in March, a severe weather forecast was issued for northern Kentucky. The McCardle family members went about their normal morning routine, caring for their many Quarter Horses before venturing off to work.

Some time after lunch, local meteorologists started actively breaking into programming. The National Weather Service began issuing warnings in the tri-state area. As the storms intensified throughout the afternoon, so did the uneasiness of the residents of northern Kentucky. The path of the storm was bearing down on the town of Crittenden, where the McCardles’ farm was located. Although the area had experienced severe weather in the past, it had never sustained any serious damage. Watching those weather alerts, no one could have known that in little more than an hour, history would be rewritten.

Shortly after 4:20 p.m. on March 2, an EF4 tornado packing winds of nearly 200 mph directly hit the McCardle farm, changing their lives and the lives of those around them forever.

Thankfully, none of the family was home at the time, and their lives were spared. Sadly, not everyone was so fortunate. Bill, first on the scene, began frantically searching for his neighbors. Standing among the mangled and torn remains of what was once their thriving family owned stables, the McCardles shock gave way to intense grief as they realized that their long-time friends Don and Linda Beemon, two, very loved elderly residents that lived in a home on the McCardles’ property, had perished in the storm.

“They were like family – grandparents to the kids,” said Bill and Rhonda. “There was nothing Don and ‘Mama Linda’ (as she was affectionately called) wouldn’t do to help … they were always there for us.”

Don, a retired mechanic and U.S. Army veteran was a skilled leather craftsman and expert woodworker who enjoyed everything on the farm from feeding horses to repairing equiptment. And Linda, an excellent cook and renowned seamstress, had sewn many of the family’s beautiful custom show outfits.

“They were special, special people,” the family said. “We will miss them so much … at least they are together.”

Grateful for their lives, the reality of that day’s events set in for the McCardles.

“Forty years to build and less than three minutes to take away,” Rhonda said. The hard task of taking stock of their loss began.

Gone was their newly remodeled home, with fewer than 20 bricks found where it once stood. A heavy slate pool table, which had been kept in the McCardle’s basement, has never been located. Three barns, one housing more than 3,000 bales of hay, yielded a mere 40 bales after the storm. An indoor arena was lost and most of their fencing and pens, as well as all their tack, show equipment and attire, and five horse trailers, two with full living quarters. Part of the gooseneck of one was found in the home of a neighbor a few miles down the road. More losses included a truck, three tractors and all their farm equipment. And heartbreakingly, two of their four beloved dogs, Allie and Andy, along with 14 of their prized American Quarter Horses, including several yearlings and 3-year-olds and two mares, ready to foal in the next few weeks. Below is a partial list of some of their show “family” they lost:

• Kolton Dan, aka “Clyde” – 2011 AQHA World Show top 10 in senior and amateur pole bending
• Kiss This Goodbar, aka “Dave” – 2006 All American Quarter Horse Congress reserve champion in Novice amateur trail
• Notes for Bullion, aka “Bully” – Congress and World Show top 10 in amateur barrel racing
• Its Nobodys Business, aka “Noby” –Congress top 10 in junior pole bending
• Easters Dan Jet, aka “Danny” – AQHA World Show qualifier
• Silver Gray Te, aka “Greta” – a distinguished American Quarter Horse show mare with three AQHA Registers of Merits

All gone … with the exception of what they believed at the time was one lone survivor.

Diesel Two A Te, aka “Max,” a yearling by Diesel Only and out of Silver Gray Te was found thrown 100 feet from his stall with a severe puncture wound to his upper right shoulder. He was taken to the Park Equine Hospital in Winchester, Kentucky, where the medical staff did everything possible to save him.

Although he put up a gallant fight, Max’s injuries were too severe, and he had to be euthanized.

Rachel Hensley, the McCardles’ oldest daughter said, “The care and generosity of all those at Park Equine Hospital was amazing. They wouldn’t take a penny from us for Max’s care; they are wonderful.”

The unbelievable scenes of destruction played out across the region. It was reported that the super outbreak of storms affected 11 states and produced more than 100 tornadoes and 39 deaths, 20 in Kentucky alone.

The goodness of humankind rose up in full force as thousands of volunteers came out to help with the cleanup in the region. More than 200 of them showed up on the McCardles’ property alone. Generous souls brought tools and heavy equipment, supplies, food and water and the manpower needed to make a dent in what surely felt like an insurmountable task.

Debris was collected in huge piles and burned. Pastures were painstakingly scoured for dangerous sharp objects, as well as any pictures or personal items of the McCardles’ or their neighbors whose homes had also been destroyed in the storm. The destruction was complete, and very little was found.

“If you didn’t know where we lived before, you would never know we had ever been there,” the family said.

During the gut-wrenching task of burying 14 of their beautiful horses, a miracle happened. As a pile of debris was being removed in the area where the barn once stood, a small hoof poked out from under the body of its mother, Silver Gray Te, and began to move. “Teddy,” a one-and-a-half-week-old colt by Diesel Only, was alive. He had been trapped for more than 16 hours. It’s believed that the mare’s fallen body sheltered her baby from the flying debris, saving his life.

And seemed like something only a mother would do.

Once freed, he whinnied and stood on his own, drinking water out of his rescuers’ hands. He was taken to Park Equine Hospital, where his full brother, Max, had been cared for the previous day. Although his ordeal left him with a cut under his left eye, he was pronounced in good condition and introduced to a nurse mare. Little “Teddy” is bonding with her quite well and is growing stronger every day. The morale of those helping to clean up skyrocketed when this little four-legged survivor was found. His discovery was a symbol of the hope that everyone needed, and it helped the healing process begin.

The recent benefit for the McCardle family in Demossville was alive with stories of past shows and horse camps, and memories of connections made throughout the years. Bill and Rhonda and their whole family stood before the entire crowd trying to find the almost impossible words to express how grateful they were for the endless love and support they have been shown. Tears were welling in the eyes of Rhonda and the girls, and an obvious array of emotion was mirrored throughout the venue.

The solidarity of this evening was obvious: We are horse people, a tight-knit group of folks who love our animals and respect and admire those who are hard-working, kind and dedicated to their family, friends and their equine passion.

The McCardles are just those kind of people. They are a strong and resilient family who will come back from this even better than before.

“We started with nothing, and now we’re starting with nothing again,” Bill said at the benefit. “Except this time, we’ve got experience!”

Bill’s comment brought a wave of welcome laughter that shone across the faces of these friends, old and new, who had come out to pledge their support. It was a fitting end to an evening that was meant to create a new beginning.

A fund has been set up for the McCardle family by the Mideast Kentucky Quarter Horse Association. Donations to The William and Rhonda McCardle Relief Fund can be made at any branch of the The Bank of Kentucky or online at https://www.bankofky.com. Checks can be sent directly to The Bank of Kentucky, 117 Lookout Farm Drive, Crestview Hills, KY, 41017.

Tracey Berry is a freelance photographer and writer in Northern Kentucky and has been involved in the equine industry around the country for many years. She can be reached at tberryphotography@gmail.com.

Connie Lechleitner is a freelance journalist for The American Quarter Horse Journal. She can be reached at
cmlechlei@gmail.com.

Learn about one of the most famous American Quarter Horses with an Easter-themed name.

Learn about one of the most famous American Quarter Horses with an Easter-themed name.

We at AQHA hope you’re enjoying this happy holiday with your friends, family and favorite American Quarter Horses.

Just for fun, we dug up some Easter-themed registered names, from Bunny Bunny Hop Hop to Easter Egg Hunt. But first, we thought we’d share the history of one of the most famous American Quarter Horses with an Easter-themed name, American Quarter Horse Hall of Fame inductee Black Easter Bunny.

The late Spencer Childers, a Hall of Fame inductee himself, began his breeding program with a mare he purchased from trainer Walt Culbertson in 1957 for $7,500.

The 1952 champion 3-year-old filly, Black Easter Bunny, by Hysition (TB) and out of Flicka by Chicaro Bill, campaigned from age 2 to 7, winning $40,232 during a time of small purses. She started 111 horse races, winning 21 times, with 22 seconds and 14 thirds, and set or equaled three track records. As a broodmare, she produced seven foals. Five of those started races, each a winner and AQHA Register of Merit-earner, including the stakes-placed Moon Deck gelding Harlequin and champion Bunny’s Bar Maid.

“Bunny’s Bar Maid was Black Easter Bunny’s first daughter,” Childers said. “She was by Three Bars (TB) and won her first six starts. She ran in nothing except the best races.”

As Black Easter Bunny’s most prominent offspring, Bunny’s Bar Maid won the Kansas futurity in 1961, less than a month before clocking the fastest qualifying time to the All American Futurity. In the final, Bunny’s Bar Maid was second to champion Pokey Bar. In 11 races, Bunny’s Bar Maid earned more than $72,000.

Other winning descendants of Black Easter Bunny include Uncas, the top 2-year-old gelding in 1996, and stakes winner Luva Secret – they both descend from Black Easter Bunny. The blue-hen mare is the sixth dam of Uncas, while Luva Secret descends from Bunny’s Bar Boy, a full brother to Bunny’s Bar Maid.

“She raised some very fine horses for us,” Childers said of his Hall of Fame mare. “She was a wonderful mare.”

Black Easter Bunny was inducted into the American Quarter Horse Hall of Fame in 2002.

Easter Themed Horse Names

These are some of our favorite Easter-themed registered American Quarter Horse names that we dug up. Feel free to share your own in the comments at the bottom!

Easter Bunny
Poco Miss Easter
Bunny Fu Fu
Easter Lily Filly
Bunny Bo Hop
Bunny Bold Thumper
Bunny Bounce
Bunny Bunny Hop Hop
Bunny Go Lightly
Easter Angel
Easter Bluebonnet
Easter Bunny Sunday
Huntin For Chocolate
Huntin Godiva
Easter Egg Hunt
Easter Egg
Easter Lily
Bunny Adorabelle
Beaus Easter Bunny
Easter Adventure
Huntin For Hersheys
Easter April
Bunny Easter
Huntin For Snickers
Easter Bunny Hop
Bunny Bunny Bunny
Easter Egg Hunter
Easter Bonnet

For the first time ever, American Quarter Horses will run for the roses on the first Saturday in May.

Two American Quarter Horses are Kentucky-bound for May's prestigious race.

By Jill Tebbe, AQHA Intern

Today, the American Quarter Horse Association announced that two American Quarter Horses will be running for the roses on the first Saturday in May 2012, a race that, up until now, has been solely run by Thoroughbreds.

Allowing Quarter Horses to enter the race wasn’t an easy decision, a race executive reported, but the racing community decided that some breed diversity would be great for the industry. But how will these Quarter Horses hold up in this 1 ¼ mile, oldest Thoroughbred race to date?

“We plan to hold them back ‘til the very end, then really let that Quarter Horse speed kick into full gear,” a racing trainer claimed, “an almost error-free strategy.”

So, ladies, pull out your over-sized and over-the-top Derby hat and slip into your favorite sundress. And men, hop into your finest plaid pants and grab a mint julep or two, because this May, Quarter Horses will be making racing history in the famous Bluegrass State!

…………. Gotcha!

Happy April Fool’s Day from AQHA!

Learn more about the excitement of American Quarter Horse racing. Download AQHA’s FREE Horse Race Tip: Speed Ratings report. In this FREE report, you’ll learn how to read and understand speed ratings and improve your betting skills at the horse races.

Remember how we got you last year? Read 2011’s April Fool’s Day story!

Calculating the odds for a casting call back, and what movies mean for Quarter Horses.

Do you know how Journal Editor Christine Hamilton found herself at the casting call for Disney's The Lone Ranger? Keep reading to find out!

By Christine Hamilton for The American Quarter Horse Journal

I survived! My first (and only?) casting call was certainly something for the bucket list.

When I left the house at 5 a.m., I was prepared with water bottles, a change of clothes, and lip gloss. In a panic, I threw in a book of cowboy poetry to read from if I had to do something like that.

The drive was eight hours through spectacular Colorado country – across South Park, down the Arkansas River Valley and the Sawatch Range, across the San Luis Valley past the Sangre de Christos, through the San Juan Mountains and into Durango under the shadow of the La Platas. Now, that’s a movie.

When I finally got there and finally found parking at the tiny Fort Lewis College campus, I was stunned at the line! Apparently the Sande Alessi Casting people were, too. Hundreds were already lined up around the theater and out across campus toward the dorms a half hour before it officially started.

Present in full force: Grizzled, bearded men wearing cowboy hats and people who could do circus-style acts – backflips and balancing poses and impossible yoga contortions. There were college students, too, families, professors, Harley guys, professional casting-call-goers, you name it … and at least one American Quarter Horse journalist.

I spent the afternoon … in line. Forget possibly wanting to powder your nose (one tip I had found while surfing the Internet) or find a potty or eat – there was NO WAY I was losing my place in line. The best casting call advice I got ahead of time was to have water with me.

I stood in line to get into the theater, the line to get back into the theater, the line to get measurements taken, the one to get photos trimmed and stapled, and the line to double-check everything. Two-and-a-half hours of lines.

That meant I talked a lot to the people in line with me.

We understand your passion for the American Quarter Horse, that’s why we focus on the issues that matter most including training, breeding, health, racing and show activities in every issue of The American Quarter Horse Journal.

Behind me, there was a 79-year-old elderly woman with gray hair streaked purple, yellow and pink wearing a bright red beatnik cap who wished me luck by saying, “Go, be a goddess.” The college psychology professor in front of me came because he had the afternoon free and “Why not?” He also thought I was wearing blue contact lenses.

There was one little girl accompanied by her family. A flaxen-haired pixie in a skirt and bright pink cowboy boots, she’d convinced her dad and mom to let her try out for the movie.

“Are you a cowgirl?” I asked her, expecting horse-craziness to go with the boots.

“No,” she said. I blinked, kind of surprised.

“Why did you want to come?”

“I love movies,” she said and grinned. Her mom later told me that she thinks Johnny Depp is handsome, even though he can look “a little weird.”

The closer we got to the theater, they handed out information forms to fill out – yellow for girls, blue for boys. At the urging of my co-standing-in-liners, I put “do yoga” to beef up my “special skills,” right under my horse stuff, LOL.

The rest of the experience was fairly non-dramatic. Once my group of 50 or so was inside the theater, Sande Alessi called for people to come up on stage to show off their “talent.” People belly-danced, did cartwheels, sang, did backflips, etc. I did NOT read a poem.

How close did I get to Johnny Depp? Well, I drove past the historic Strater Hotel where he was rumored to be staying. Somehow, I don’t think he was in town yet. My closer brush to Mr. Depp was with the woman who took my measurements – she played the old hag in the first “Pirates of the Caribbean” movie.

I dropped off my card and waved goodbye and good luck to my fellow line-standers. The casting company “will call in May,” if I’m lucky. What are the odds of that?

The industry’s most-read publication, The American Quarter Horse Journal features easy-reference color-coded sections devoted to varied disciplines and activities. Subscribe today!

As I walked away, I kept thinking about that little pixie who loves movies, not horses. I just finished editing an article for the May American Quarter Horse Journal, a status-of-the-horse industry piece, and Mike Jennings mentioned how much our breed has benefitted from at least two generations of people hooked on cowboys and horses by Western movies and TV shows. Mike points out that we can’t sit back and wait for people to come to horses on their own anymore.

It puts a modern Disney remake of the Lone Ranger story into a whole new light. I want that movie to show that sweet little pixie I was in line with – and thousands like her – how cool horses are! And I hope she’ll want one for her very own.

In any case, it was a fun experience and worth doing to go after a chance to see movie-making American Quarter Horses in action. It might be the only casting call I ever do.

Of course, there is a casting call for Tonto’s dog in Moab, Utah, in April. My dog, Tucker, already does a lot of tricks …

Did you read Journal Editor Christine Hamilton’s first blog, which tells the tale of how Christine found herself headed to Durango, Colorado, for a casting call of Disney’s The Lone Ranger? Read Christine’s first blog here.

At the urging of her co-workers, Journal Editor Christine Hamilton is off to try her hand in show biz.

Journal Editor Christine Hamilton is headed to southern Colorado for casting of Disney's remake of the Lone Ranger story. (Journal photo)

By Christine Hamilton

It was Larri Jo Starkey’s dang idea. The subject line in her email should have tipped me off: “YOU HAVE TO DO THIS.” Why on earth did I open it?

An online notice for a casting call in Colorado for an upcoming Western movie, on a weekend when I happened to be in town.

Yeah, right, ha, ha. I wrote LJ back, “:-),” and pointed out that it was right up her alley – my fellow American Quarter Horse Journal editor has been in several play productions over the years and is a talented musician.

But, no, she will be in Louisiana at the Region Nine Championship, and she further pointed out that they were bound to have American Quarter Horses in the movie, I could ride, it was relatively close to me, yada, yada, yada …

As it turned out, our sister publication, America’s Horse, does have a story in the works on the wranglers providing horses for that movie – Disney’s remake of the Lone Ranger story – and LJ’s little idea for me fit right in with it.

So guess who’s moonlighting for America’s Horse this weekend, headed for the strangest situation that American Quarter Horses have put me into yet? Stranger, I think, than the first time I collected a stallion.

What on earth do you do at a casting call?! This one calls for “all types,” people who can work legally in the United States and a 3×5 photo from the waist up.

I did a little more research and found out all kinds of stuff on casting calls in general: Don’t wear red or white; don’t be fussy; bring makeup; take a map; be early and never late; be prepared to do a monologue … aaack! What am I getting into?

This movie is looking especially for Asian men, “extreme character types,” people with “odd features” and “odd body types” to include women weighing more than 400 pounds. Great.

Well, I bring “normal” to the table. I also bring “loves horses and Westerns,” “was in a play in high school” and “can ride very well.” I certainly fit the category of “all types of men and women … ages 18 to 90, all ethnicities.”

LOL, we’ll see what happens. I’ll keep my story-teller’s eye out, along with my camera. I’ll watch out for those wranglers and their American Quarter Horses, and I’ll show up in boots and jeans and a horse show top. And lip gloss.

Did I mention that Johnny Depp is playing Tonto?

Got a “lucky” horse? In honor of St. Patrick’s Day, share your horse’s AQHA registered name!

Happy St. Patrick’s Day! We at AQHA hope you’re enjoying this happy holiday with your favorite American Quarter Horse.

Just for fun, we dug up some St. Paddy’s Day-themed registered names. Add in your own!

Kiss Me Im Irish

Paddys Irish Whiskey

Sham Rocket

Irish Accent

Lucky Clover

Whiskey A’ Go Go

Irish Whiskey Bar

Luckily Irish

Leprechaun Charm

Luck Tu The Irish

Irish Whiskey

Leprechauns Gold

Irish Shamrock

Four Leaf Clover

Irish Clover

Luck Charm

Irish Bar Whiskey

Luck O Dublin

Irish Elf

Luck O Irish Hancock

Irish Bailey Cream

Luck Of The Irish

Luck O’Shannon

Irish Coffee N Cream

Luck’s Lass

Luckofthegreene

Blarney Kiss

Irish Lucky Charms

Blarney Stone

Ima Irish Dame

Luckier Than You

Kiss The Blarney

Pot Of Gold

End Of The Rainbow

Irish Bar Maid

Pint Of Guinness

Irish Bartender

Pint Of Stout

Im Irish Gold

Pub Crawler

Sipping Irishwhiskey

Drinks Are On Me

Practical and inexpensive, rope halters are a time-honored tradition for many horsemen and a wonderful training tool. Follow these easy steps to create your own knotted rope halter for your horse in AQHA’s FREE How to Tie a Rope Halter Report.

Take a look at the most popular FREE reports on America’s Horse Daily.

Spring is around the corner, and you can finally start working on those goals you have for you and your horse!

America’s Horse Daily has dozens of FREE reports to help you become a better rider, trainer, competitor and horse owner.

Download as many as you want, and print copies for your barn, home and trailer. Share them with family and friends.

1. Horse Color and Marking Chart – The AQHA Horse Color and Markings Chart has a world of horse markings and color information packed into just one page.
2. How to Make a Rope Halter – Two experts at Columbia Basin Knot Company shared with The American Quarter Horse Journal their 34-step process for making a quality homemade rope halter.
3. How to Build a Mounting Block – AQHA consulted an expert woodworker for a homemade mounting block that can become a staple of your barn aisle or arena.
4. Showmanship Basics – Trainers Brad and Valerie Kearns give you tips and tricks about every aspect of showmanship from basic maneuvers to picking out the right show halter for your horse.
5. Horse Trailer Loading Tips – Bill Van Norman gives tips on how to keep your temper while training a horse to load into a trailer.
6. Stomach Ulcers in Horses – Learn the causes, signs and treatments of stomach ulcers, a common problem in horses.
7. How to Tie a Rope Halter – Dennis Moreland explains a safe and effective way to tie a rope halter to communicate with your horse.
8. Roping Basics - AQHA Professional Horseman Patrick Hooks teaches you everything you need to know to get started.
9. Laminitis Treatment – Learn the basics of this common medical emergency, and find out how to treat and prevent it.
10. Halter Breaking Your Foal – Learn how siblings Tom, Wayne and Margo Ball of Ball’s Quarter Horses use old fashion horsemanship in their halter breaking.

Want more great information for free? America’s Horse Daily has many more FREE reports!