Wednesday, June 30, 2010

Show draws and results?

We´re in a pretty hectic part of the Swedish show season. A bunch of shows packed very tight in the calendar. Thursday Ranch Horse Challange kicks of at High Chaparral. A 4 day show jampacked with interesting classes.

What I´d like, as a fan, is the possibility to se the draws somewhere. Would be the easiest thing in the world to have a stop date for regestering and draws. Publish them on the official website and then follow up with the results when they get in.

Take the much heralded SRCHA show in Borås for instance. It ended a week and a half ago, still no results that I´ve been able to find. What´s up with that? They print the results at the shows and post them locally, so somebody´s already on a computer somewhere typing the darn thing, why not post it on the web?

I seriously doubt I´m the only one interested in what´s going on out there. Or maybe I´m the only one who wasn´t able to go?

Tuesday, June 29, 2010

FOR SALE!

Gotta sell off some horses. Atleast one of theese two yearling fillies need to go as it´s getting way to crowded here. No fantasy prices, just give me a decent offer, the horses a good home and we´re in business.


This is Sweet Lil Angel (Molly), the best one we´ve had to date! You couldn´t ask for a better mind on a horse! Gentle, personable and a willingness to please.
Add to that her build. She´s put together just right. Good balance, low headset, good, clean legs and a great hip! She shows some serious potential as she is x-tremely athletic and alway´s in control. She could head in any direction but cutting/cowhorse or reining is where her athletisism will be best put to use. Should mature around 14.2 hands. (ca 148cm) Sweet Lil Angel
By Silver Royal Pistol (by Smart Little Pistol and a Royal Silver King-Dry Doc bred mare) Justa Bita Pep (by Bad Peppy Lena and a Poco Tivio bred mare)




Kick The Cat is a very elegant filly with a clean, graceful build. She´s also very athletic and should be able to go in any direction. Very affectionate and likable filly. She´s bred to cow and shouldn´t have any problems in that department. Is also pretty explosive but with her graceful moves she could excel at whatever dicipline you head her in. Very nice bridlehorse prospect and a really sweet mare. Should mature around 15.1 hands. (ca 155cm)
Kick The Cat
By Wild Thing DNA (Smart Little Lena-Autumn Boon) and Spanish Sue Reed (Cata Cord and foundation Taylor Creek Ranch blood on bottom)

More info on the horses can be found here: www.4corners.se

Sunday, June 27, 2010

Worked the bulls today

Nice bosal, don´t you think?!




Finally got the chute up and running! Backed the trailer to it. Drove the bulls right in, jumped off and closed the hatch. Piece of cake!
Annelie took some great pics, as always, for your amusement.







Thatsa theona we want, nè?

Once in the arena we just boxed them alittle, turned them a few times and circled some. Brady was a bit dull today, but it was expected as he´s been off for a while and has the belly to prove it!
Boxing

Down the fence

He turns pretty good now





He got pretty winded in the heat, so we took things pretty easy and only worked two head.
The circling was decent, possitioning still needs some work though




He really loves the fence work but at the same time he lets me use him, move him around and has no problem letting up when I ask him to.

Overall, a pretty solid workout.

Midsummer...

As is our custom, we danced around the Midsummer pole sang songs about frogs, foxes and other unrelated beeings. Behaved like the heathens we are and paid tribute to the longest day of the year. We had lots of fun at grandma and gramps place. Lots of games and stuff for the kids and a chance to spend some time with the family without all the chores involving horses and livestock.
Super Man playing fetch

Bred Peppy in the morning before heading out. Hopefully she´ll take as we used up the last straws of Peeka Pep. It looked good as she had just ovulated so hopefully Polly will have a sibling next year.
Polly & Peppy





All is well on the horsefront. The foals are getting bigger and more indipendent.
Super Man playing with a not so thrilled Sessan

Polly & Super Man



The flies are starting to become a nuisance how ever, and we have to spray `em every so often.
Cat with a buzz in her ear!

Will try to get the bulls to the arena today and play with them some.
Yeah, rest while you can boys!

Brady and Avenir has been off for a week or two and it´s time to get them going before they fall all outa shape.

Will work the fillies some tonight too, when it´s a bit cooler.
Fillies wading through the sallad

No kids here for a week! Ben´s off to camp and Ida is spending the week with grandma. Hopefully we´ll be able to get some projects finished around here!

Monday, June 21, 2010

NRCHA Derby results

This is the final results for the Open NRCHA Derby:


Todd Bergen and Smart Luck (Very Smart Remedy) tied with Corey Cushing and Smart Boons (Peptoboonsmal) with a total score of 664,5!! In the runoff between the two Smart Luck came out on top. Check out those scores! thats 73:s to 74.5:s all around, in all three events all in one day! Pretty amazing...

Smart Luck

Smart Boons

Sunday, June 20, 2010

uppdate

Boy´s in their pasture

Has been purdy busy around here lately. Work, mare checkin´, movin bulls etc...

Got a handful of new ponies the other day too. Well, not new-new, more old-old. Two miniature pony´s for Annelies school. Really cute little buggers! Also got a Conemara pony over the summer. A really sweet mare, but somewhere between twenty and being burried!
Ida & Elton, Stella & Tandari

The bulls are munchin away in their pasture, works them alittle from time to time. Also built a loading chute for taking em up to the arena.
One of the big boys

Bulls pasture

Loading chute (or something...)

Watching the NRCHA Derby finals on the webcast as I´m writing this, some pretty decent horses in that one! My favorite Smart Boons just scored 219,5 in the herdwork!
Avenir



Tha weather´s been beautiful the last couple of day´s and the horses are lovin it. They get pretty lull in the sun with their bellies full.
The wild bunch....not!

Fillies wading in the grass

Wednesday, June 16, 2010

Derby and Non-Pro update

Still waiting for the finals scores in the Open 4 and 5/6 year old to come in from Ok.City. I got to see some pretty good action over the webcast last night but as alway´s fell asleep around midnight, before the dust had settled. Flipping back and forth between the Ok. cuttings and the NRCHA Derby in Paso Robles on the internet. They managed to sync it so they were settling the herds between sets at the same time believe it or not. This ment that there were ample time for me to doze off, waiting for the sets to begin. Got to see Peeka Pep colt Pep In Your Step score a 218 in the 4year Open Finals wich I think placed him 4th or 5th and in the money. Peeka Peps Cat scored a 216 in the 5/6 Open Go Round wich placed him in the finals. Don´t have the final scores yet though.

In the meantime Smart Boons (Peptoboonsmal) and Corey Cushing took the lead in the NRCHA Derby scoring a 220 in the Herdwork. I had my money on him from the start as I really like this one. Actually Cushings 3 horses are 1-2-3 after the Open Herdwork! Lenas Alley (Smart Little Lena) scored 219 and Kickback Nic (Nic It In The Bud) scored a 218. We´ll see how far that´ll take them when the action continues with the reinwork tomorrow.

Other notable scores in the Derby: Smart Miss Merada-Doug Williamson 4th 218, Reymanator-Zane Davis 11th 216,5, CD Dee Vee Dee-Ron Ralls 20th 215, That CD Rocks and Mr Playingstylish both scored 213.

Bulls on the move...

Moved our bulls to a new pasture last night. Brady got to make use of his skill somewhat. Me and Annelie driving with Brady and 23 year old trotter Avenir.

Two of `em just didn´t get what an open gate means! The were pretty quick to find the weak spot in our setup. Had them lined up a bunch of times in the opening when they just turned, feinted and ducked behind Avenir or under the old guy´s nose! Man, they really abused him!

The old guy loves it though, riding with a purpose and having a job! Really cool to watch him come to life, dance and prance and anxious to do something. He knows he´s supposed to move them, just doesn´t have the physical ability to go with the desire. Takes him a couple of boatlengths to stop and turn. He´s earned his keep though and have $300.000 in race earnings to back it up!

Brady on the other hand was, as usual nowaday´s, all business. Must have watched the cuttings from Oklahoma C. with me because he moved like a pro when the bulls tried him. On more than one occasion he got to sweep accross the cow, back and forth, back and forth. Ears pinned, head to the ground and working of his backend. Really cool how far he´s come along. What he likes best though, is chasing down runnaway´s, crashing through the brush, jumping potholes ducking around trees and stopping and turning the critter out in the open! He really excelles there, totally fearless!

I think we might have to construct a loading chute though for moving the bulls up to the arena. It might be a bit to adventureous trying to drive them up there and hoping for the best?!

Tuesday, June 15, 2010

NRCHA Derby

The NRCHA Derby starts today with a horde of great participants. The Derby is for 4-5 year olds competing in a snaffle or a hackamore regardless if they competed in a bridle or two rein class previously.

As for the contestants, how about the 2010 standout CD Dee Vee Dee who´s won just about everything this year. Hackamore Classic champ Smart Miss Merada, last years futurity champ Reymanator with Zane Davis, That CD Rocks, Mr Playingstylish, Wagonhounds Genuine Masterpiece and my personal favourite, last years Derby winner Smart Boons!
Smart Boons-Corey Cushing

The action starts today with the herdwork prelims, followed by the reinwork on Thursday, cowwork Friday and the finals with all three events creamed in on Sunday! Takes one hell of a horse to win it all!!!

The Cutting Non-Pro and Open in Oklahoma City is wrapping up with the finals in the 4 y Open and 5y Open today along with the finals in the 2000 ltd. I´ve kept an x-tra eye on the Peeka Peps, and this is how they´ve fared so far: Peeka Peps Cat-6th NCHA Jr score 213, Peekin At The Cow-11th 4year Non-Pro Finals score 208, Peeka Peps Cat-8th 5/6 Am. Finals score 212, Peekapeps Movin On-2000 ltd finals today score 214, Pep In Your Step- 4 year Open Finals today score 216. Peeka Peps Cat is also in the 5/6 Open 1st go round today. Also Peeka Peps brother, Rey Nounce (Dual Rey-Peek A Boon) placed 8th in the 5/6 Am finals scoring 212.

Monday, June 14, 2010

Now, this is what it´s all about!!

Originally, me and Brady were supposed to make our cowhorse debute this weekend in the Cow & Ranch Nationals at Axevalla. The show got cancelled though and instead we took the opportunity to meet up with a bunch of likeminded and do a clinic of sorts. Styrbjörn helped us out, doleing out praise, critique and good hearted gibes.

We worked exclusively out of the herd as most of the participants were cutters and I must say, we got a lot of good things accomplished!

What really stuck though is how much fun we all had! A group of people from all walks of life with the love of horses and working cattle incomon. Driving the 300 miles back home yesterday I was thinking; Man, this is how it´s supposed to be! Guy´s helping out, taking turns working or holding herd, no one above the rest. Everybody working together to make sure we all got something out of the weekend, and ofcourse poking good hearted fun at eachother! My jawmuscles are still sore from all the laughter!!

Great, great weekend! A special thank you to Johan for organizing cattle, beds and stalls for us!

As far as Brady goes, he continues to surprise with his effort, try and even showed some moves on occasion! Worked him in the two rein yesterday, as that´s what we´ll be showing in if we ever get around to it. Was worried he might not be as tuned in and responsive working in the herd or when hooked on a cow, but he did just fine. Soft and pretty much in my hand the whole time.

Them boy´s from Värmland got some pretty good ponies too! Nice to see people bringing good horses, especially well bred mares, over from the US! That´s the only way we can ever improve the quality of our stock.

Thank´s again everybody for a very nice weekend!!

Thursday, June 10, 2010

Sleepyheads

The ponies had a rough night last night...rain and after that mosquitos a plenty! This is how I found the foals this morning.
Polly & Super Man

Polly showing signs of life



Friends!

Kick The Cat

Lets play Find the Diva!
I see You! (Belly atleast...)

Me and Brady will head down to Hanaskede for some cowwork this weekend. He feels pretty good and we´ll see how he performs down there. Will mostly be herdwork I reckon as the other participants are a bunch of cutters. Speakin of cutters, Peeka Peps Cat with owner/Rider Kathy Simpson made the 5/6 Amateur Finals yesterday in Ok.city scoring 215,5.