September provided plenty of fun for Treasure Valley horse riders and greatly benefited the ABHA.

First, the ABHA welcomed author Janine Wilder to the Red Top Blazers Ranch for a trail riding seminar on Sept. 18. Wilder, the author of Trail Riding: A Comprehensive Guide to Enjoying Your Horse Outdoors is also a world-record holding cowgirl who has ridden over 156,000 miles.

Her seminar was filled with humor, wit and plenty of information ranging from trail-riding basics to current equine behavior research.

The crowd of about 30 took away valuable knowledge from the discussion, which included many of Wilder’s on-trail experiences. (To get a copy of her book or schedule a trail riding seminar with her, contact Janine at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. ).

Putting the lessons learned from the seminar to good use, many in attendance participated in the inaugural Hoofin’ It Poker Ride the following weekend.
Forty-five people spent a few hours riding through the Eagle foothills just north of Boise, Idaho. The course was beautiful and challenging, providing a great opportunity for Blazer owners and friends to spend some time outdoors.

The event meandered through the hills for about six miles with riders collecting cards for their poker hands. After the ride, participants enjoyed a barbecue lunch before prizes were awarded for the top two men’s and women’s poker hands.
It was a memorable week that gave Blazer owners and riders a chance to socialize and enjoy their horses as a group, while also benefiting the ABHA.

Information and photos provided by the American Blazer Horse Association. Find out more online at www.blazerhorse.com.

Abigail Reno and Michaela Bocci made a bit of Blazer history in August. Reno, 14, and Bocci, 12, rode Blazers at the Western Idaho Fair in Boise in a variety of competitions, and in doing so became the inaugural winners of the ABHA’s high-point Blazer awards.

“It was so exciting,” said Reno, who was the 2010 Blazer High Point Champion riding Chiquita Rose. “That was one of the awards that I really wanted most and I worked really hard for it.

“It’s so special to be the first one and I am so honored to have my name on that award.”

Joining Reno in being honored was Bocci, who rode two Blazers, AJ’s Bam Bam Boomerang and Little Red’s Chocolate. Bocci was the 2010 Blazer High Point Reserve Champion.
“It felt really good,” said Bocci. “I think it’s very awesome and I’d love to do that again.”

Reno, a member of the Desperados 4-H Club and Ten Mile Riding Club, competed in trail, showmanship, jumping, English equitation, western riding, western equitation and then the games.
While she said her best events were the trail and western classes, she adds that she also was very impressed with Rose, who has not had any professional training.
“I’m definitely going to get a Blazer when, and if, I ever am done with (Chiquita Rose) just because they are amazing horses. You can do anything with them,” Reno said.
Bocci, a member of the J C Riders Horse 4-H Club, said her best events were the western classes as she competed in showmanship, junior trail level 1, western riding, western equitation and the games.
Bocci adds that Lil Red’s Chocolate impressed her, as it was his first-ever time in a competition.

The pair won special director’s chairs with the ABHA logo and High Point Champion and Reserve Champion printed on them, along with rosette ribbons. Reno won a blue chair and ribbon, for first place, and Bocci a red chair and ribbon, for second.

For more information about the ABHA visit www.blazerhorse.com

Strutting Their Stuff at the Snake River Stampede

 

Ann Taylor on Autumn Dream caption: “ABHA’s Ann Taylor on Autumn Dream gives the crowd a wave.”

 

 

 

ABHA Waiting for judging.jpg caption “ABHA members get a look-over from the parade judges during the Snake River Stampede parade.”

 

 

 

ABHA president Donna Kelleher couldn’t contain her excitement.
On a sunny Saturday, July 17, in downtown Nampa, Idaho, 21 American Blazer Horses and their riders paraded through the streets in what is said to be one of the largest all-horse parades in the country.

Glittered from hooves to headstalls, the Blazers proved to be a huge hit at the annual Snake River Stampede rodeo’s kick-off parade, as the ABHA took second place in the group division, bringing tears to the ABHA president’s eyes.

“I am so proud of everybody’s teamwork and so tickled to see so many beautiful Blazers out here strutting their stuff,” Kelleher said.

Parade veteran Diane Robson made the trip from Post Falls, Idaho, to provide the tips for parade success, to spur on the ABHA group and carry the association’s flag.

But she got plenty of help, too.

With riders out four hours before the 11 a.m. parade to groom and glitter their horses, the ABHA also got plenty of help and support from non-parade riding members like Stewart and Katharine Cram, Karen Nichols, Jim Fox, Kara Renfro, Bonnie Carrig, and Doug and Terri Franich on the day.

Then, for the first time since 1996 when the Blazer Riding Club rode in the Snake River Stampede parade, the ABHA joined in with about 400 other horses and riders on the streets of Nampa, showing off the Blazer Horse and passing out posters.
“It’s just so wonderful to bring these Blazers into the horse community,” Kelleher said after the event.
For more information about ABHA visit www.blazerhorse.com.

Josh Cram’s Passion Spreads

Stewart and Katharine Cram’s son Josh grew up around Blazer Horses, but that wasn’t always a good thing, he admits.

“It was my job to get up before school and feed the horses,” Josh, now 27, recalled of one childhood chore.
There also were benefits to having horses growing up, he adds.

“Any time I wanted to take a girl on a date, I’d saddle up the horses and we’d go.”

Moving to Utah five years ago, Josh briefly left horses behind. But in the past year he’s been drawn back to Blazers and he’s bringing the people of Utah with him. Thanks to an info booth at a Pet Festival in April, many people in St. George, Utah, were introduced to Blazers, and recently Josh was able to help match a girl in Salt Lake City with a Blazer from Weiser, Idaho. The website www.blazerhorsesales.com, which Cram recently started, helped make that connection possible.

Josh noticed that people looking for horses online with particular characteristics were essentially describing the qualities of the Blazer horse breed. Looking to give people a chance to see and learn more about Blazers, he started the sales website. He adds that several people also plan to visit his Blazers in person on his ranch to learn more about the breed, including a teacher at Tuacahn High in Ivins, Utah, a performing arts school.

“(They have) a program there that works with the kids and the horses, and stuff like that,” Cram said. “(The teacher) was very excited about coming over and finding out about the Blazers.

“It’s exciting that so few people know about these fantastic horses. I get to introduce people to them and the response has been really positive.”

For more information on Blazer horses, visit the ABHA website at www.blazerhorse.com