~ Somethin Better ~

In 1982, I brought home a 3 year old Appaloosa/Thoroughbred cross from a sale in Michigan. I stayed in touch with the breeder and two years later, she sent me a note wanting to know if I would be interested in that mare's half sister. I said, "Yes" and in a few weeks, made the trip to Michigan to pick her up. Little did I know that this new mare would be many times better than her half sister. That's how I came to own Somethin Better, or Betty as I called her. Others would call her "Booper", a sort of slang based on the Betty Boop cartoon character. Betty was my first "real" show mare, earning National Points in a few events.

In those days, I was still active in the CRHA (Colorado Ranger Horse Assn) and in the fall of 1986, Betty became the High Point/Grand Champion Mare at the CRHA National Show in Tallmadge, Ohio, bringing home lots of ribbons, a blanket and a belt buckle.

Betty was also a fearless, "go anywhere" trail horse. In 1988, I started competing in Distance Riding, which earned her an ApHC Bronze Medallion. In February of 1996, during some record cold weather, with day time highs of -3 and over night lows in the -20's, she aborted what would have been her 3rd foal. I lost Somethin Better three days later. This grand lady is still missed, today.

~ Anniething Goes ~

Anniething Goes was my second "real" show mare. By this time, I was competing with Betty in distance riding. When Annie became available, I purchased her and she became part of my small but growing herd. By the time she was 4, she had done well enough in the shows to qualify for the World Show in Fort Worth. In 1989, she placed 10th out of 36 entries from across the nation in Jr Hunter Under Saddle. Annie was retired from the show ring, after that, and started her new career as a broodmare. After a few years, I fondly referred to her as my "filly factory". She produced a total of eight foals for me, seven of them being fillies. Her foals were purchased and owned by people like Tom Wilson (ApHC Judge), Robin and Roger Gollehon (Zip'N To Paradise), Folgate Appaloosas, and Myles and Becky Johnson, my Illinois trainers.

I always thought Annie would be around for a long time. I owned Annie's dam for nine years before donating her to a handicapped riding program, at age 27, when I could no longer get her in foal. I still have Annie's last two fillies, Millie and Maggie, as a reminder of the quality of heart she embodied. This is another lady that is going to be missed for a long time to come.

~ Contact Diamond Run Farm ~