As the 4th of July approaches, what do you suppose an Appaloosa lover thinks of?  Fireworks?  Nope!  American flags?  Uh uh…. Small town parades?  No way, man!  Give up?  ……..

The National Appaloosa Horse Show and World Championship Appaloosa Youth Show, of course!  For those of us that grew up in the world of Apps, Independence Day is celebrated each year among friends and competitors in towns far from home.  For many years in my family, fireworks were enjoyed after a long day’s competition, training and prep for the next day’s events, and maybe a quick shower.  If we could stay awake long enough, we’d head out to the parking lots outside the barns and watch the spectacle light up the skies of Oklahoma City or Columbus, depending on which city we were in that particular year. 

Now that I’m no longer competing at the National level, this time of year finds me glued to my computer like an addict, consulting the scheduled events and the webcam daily to see what I’m missing each day.  The ApHC website is a wealth of information on the National events.  One can watch the events live on the webcam, check the results of previous events and award standings, and even see photos of the class winners!  In fact, if you’re looking for a particular competitor, you can even see the class order of go online.  On that note, I’d like to give a big”Woot Woot!!” to Vickie Wharram and Holy Moly MMR for their win in Masters Showmanship and their 4th place finish in Limited Showmanship!!!  Congrats!  For those who may not have read the “Meet the Herd” page yet, Moe is one of my former mounts who is now living it up in Texas!  It is so rewarding to see that he is still kicking butt in the show ring.

As we approach this year’s Fourth of July celebrations, let’s consider how lucky we are to have our freedoms and the ability to ride and travel with our wonderful horses!  Happy Fourth to everyone!