SUNSHINE
LAZY N'S ROWDY'S GINGER 1983 - 2008

Sunshine was one of those very special horses that come along once in a long while.  Born in Texas, this Rowdy daughter lost her dam during foaling and the baby was discovered with a large branch lodged in her eye.  Blind from birth, Joe and Ginger Jeter  would give this baby a home where she would become the foundation for the highly respected breeding program of Runnin Bare Ranch.  Her first and third foals,  Lovely Lady and Classy Comment would be sold to Willa Marks and shown to top titles by Ed and Margaret Sisk of Blue Ribbon Training Center.  Her second foal Runnin Bare's Sheza Doozie would stay in the Runnin Bare breeding program, though many farms tried to acquire her for their operations, Joe would not part with her.

I had met Joe and Ginger in 1988 at the World show in Reno, where they were helping Heart Acres with their driving horses, and stalled in the same shedrow.  When I received a polaroid shot of a palomino weanling filly 4 years later, and an offer to buy this sister of the Multi World Grand Champion Classy Comment, I flew to Texas to be introduced to Runnin Bares Rowdy's Heiress and her family.  It was easy to see that I was looking at some of the best mares in the Miniature Horse Industry at the time.  In 1994 I was able to purchase one of Sunshine's granddaughters, Runnin Bare's Classic Dream, and she joined Heiress on my show string where she accumulated over 25 World Championship titles.  Heiress would go on to add to Sunshine's legacy by her contribution of First Knight's Redi or Not, owned by Jonathan Whitt of JSW Farms, and First Knight's Breakin All the Rules, both stallions who would make their mark on the history of the Miniature Horse industry.

Sunshines first colt would also be shown by First Knight miniatures winning World Championship titles in both stallion and gelding categories.  Sunshine's last foal to be born in Texas would be a Bit O Honey daughter, Lady in Red who would later be sold to Donna and Dennis Russell in Saskatchewan. 

In the spring of 2000, Joe and Ginger decided that taking care of a dozen horses had become too much work due to their advancing age, and they made the decision to let their beloved girls move to Canada for retirement.  I needed to be retrained in some of my thinking about taking care of a horse, but Sunshine quickly let me know what she wanted.  She hated the barn and did not like being in a fenced pasture much more, so she was given free run of the farm and because of her amazing metabolism, was able to enjoy whatever she wanted in the way of food, which of course in summer was lots of green grass, and she also would sample from any of the other horse feeds as I was preparing for the stalled horses.  She would also help herself to open bags, and quickly learned that whatever she could scoop out of the bag onto the floor would be hers if I decided to close the bag.  Her shelter in the winter was my hay shed where she usually managed to sample a bit of every alfalfa hay bale she could reach.

She did so well over that winter, that when she began to cycle again in 2001, something she had not done for a few years, Hot Shot decided that she should make one more contribution to show world, and one last gift to me.  First Knight's Lord of the Ring would make his first appearance at the 2004 World show, capturing the World Grand Championship Junior stallion title, then return in 2005 at the hand of Lee Crutchfield to follow with the same title in the senior division, and the amateur division with me, making him a 3 Time World Grand Champion.

Sunshine continued her job of "managing" the farm, welcoming vets, farriers and visitors, and especially any children who came to see the horses.  She had a special magic with anyone under the age of 12, and she quickly became the "favorite" of most people who visited the farm. 

In this lifetime, there are some people who make a huge difference to who we become, but I also believe there are animals who are able to touch you in ways others cannot. Sunshine was one of these special "angels" and I realize how blessed I have been to share her with Ginger and Joe, and call her "mine" for the latter part of her life.  Sunshine went to rejoin Joe and Ginger in September of 2008, but  her legacy will live on through her offspring, and I will continue to see her in every foal born on my farm, as she will be in the pedigree of everyone.

 

GOLDILOCKS


In 1992 Roy and Betsy McBride of Sheepmedow Farms, pioneers of the miniature horse industry in Canada, decided that for the first time ever, they would part with a "couple" of their mares. I was fortunate to be one of the customers they would extend this honor to. I was overwhelmed with the quality of broodmares on the McBride farm. Of course there were many of their "first" mares that were not available. Luckily for me, we differed on the opinion of his "best" mares. Mr. McBride liked small and I liked close to "34".

I chose 2 full sisters out of Bond Nutmeg, Goldilocks (34") and Nugget (30"). After a discussion with my husband over finances, I decided that he was probably right, and I did not really need 2 full sisters, so sold Nugget. I am sure that in her younger years, Goldilocks would have been a top show horses. She had a beautiful head and neck and the refinement that we are still striving to produce.

Goldi gave me some beautiful foals from Honey:
FIRST KNIGHTS BIT O FERRARI - NATIONAL CHAMPION
FIRST KNIGHTS BIT O GOLDEN FANTASY - RESERVE NATIONAL CHAMPION
FIRST KNIGHTS BIT O GLAMOUR BOY - RESERVE NATIONAL CHAMPION

And also from First Knights Bit o Hot Shot
FIRST KNIGHTS COVER GIRL- AMHR RESERVE NATIONAL CHAMPION
She also had other foals that did not continue on the show circuit.

Goldi had always foaled between midinight and 3 am and was the perfect Mom. However, in April of 2004 I saw her lying down at 4 pm in the far back corner of my pasture. Screaming to the kids for help, I took off at a run. I arrived in time to see the bubble coming up and help with the delivery. However, so did all the other horses in the field. Goldi jumped up and broke the cord prematurely leaving a gusher of blood coming from baby. With Anthony carrying baby and Stephani bringing Mom, I was able to keep the cord squeezed shut.

Once baby was up and nursing, I remember saying something like "all this for a cremello". At that time, cremello was probably my least favorite color. When baby was about 1 month old, Goldi showed signs of colic, and I was afraid I'd lose her because of her age (21). I took both to the vet where they hooked her up to IV and pulled her through. That was where the baby with his wild mane staning straight up and his bright blue eyes, got his name. As soon as the vet tech saw him she said, " Look, it's Billy Idol "


 

Very sadly, in November, Goldi got sick again and it was time for her to leave us, but she had hung on till Billy Idol was well on his way. I will always miss Goldi, but she will live on through Billy Idol, 2005 World Reserve Champion junior stallion 29 - 31, and his future get.

Thanks Goldilocks