KT Gunnin For King, “3” Colt Sire: KT King of Blue, “King” Dam: KT Gun in a Million, “Mil” Date Born: 4/23/22 Click here for more pictures Color: Smokey Blue Roan (Color Tested Rn/n, E/E, N/Cr, a/a). Price: $7,500 Here is a skookum blue colt with a pedigree to match. His dam, Mil is a fancy brindle roan mare by KT Gunpowder N Lead and out of Wright on Sugarnic, “Stinger.”‘ Mil has been color tested by UC Davis as a smoky black and her brindle coloring cannot be explained by chimerism. On top of the crazy color, she is bred to the hilt. Mil’s dam, Wright On Sugarinic (Stinger) Won Pro division of the Cascade Cutters Futurity and is an own daughter of Lenas Wright On. Her dam, Just Plain Sugari has NCHA earnings of $111.31 and is an AQHA point earner. She is a granddaughter of Smart Little Mesa, Slide Me Again and Just Plain Colonel, who are all money and pt earners. She is also the dam of our Stallion, Just Plain Starlight. Top side, Mil is by KT Gunpowder N Lead (Gunner), a son of Cue Bars Laddie. Cue Bars Laddie is a roan stallion that has been shown as a reiner, cowhorse and rope horse. He was the recipient of the Open AQHA All Around Trophy and is a CCHA Hall of Fame Horse. Gunner is out of Charros Dandy Miss (Pistol) who was shown NFQHA and local shows. Great cow horse/ranch horse/rope horse. Gunner has greats on his papers like Peppy San, Doc O’Lena, Dandy Derby, Docs Jack Frost, and Imperial One. King is out of KT Copper Queen Isabelle, “Izzy,” and by Shining Blue DR, “Bish.” Bish is a very good looking son of Autumnator, who is sired by SMART LITTLE LENA. Smart Little Lena is earner of $743,275, NCHA Triple Crown Op Ch. Autumnator’s dam is AUTUMN BOON is an earner of $244,470 NCHA. Dam of 26 foals, 17 perfs earning $1,003,985 NCHA/WS. Bish’s dam is Plum Sparkling who is by Shining Sparkler, a gorgeous palomino son of Reining and Reined Cowhorse Leading Sire Shining Spark.
Monday we had rain on top of the snow, with the promise of warmer weather. Dad went and got Camas and Lane came over. So we had two extra helpers building a new section of fence around the corn field. So we got it all done in one day. Pounding rebar posts into the frozen ground is always a lot of fun. We had a few new calves Monday, but with the AI cows done they are slowing down. T and Absolute were main streamed on Monday with the other foals. With the weather warming up they were pretty frisky in their smaller pen and needed to stretch their legs. Kaine, Camas and I did horse chores, Todd, Ben, Lane and Anna did cow chores. When Kaine and Camas checked the cows at 10 705 had calved by Emerald’s calf and was being mean to Emeralds calf. So Ben and Todd went out to move 705 and her calf away and Ben may or may not have been nudged by 705 and Todd got her off of him as he tripped and fell. Luckily Kaine and Camas were getting the pickup to take out some straw and were out of the way. Sometimes cows nudge a person that gets too close to their calf. Those cows are called motherly. If a cow is really motherly, you want to wait a week or so to tag her calf, if you know what I mean.
Back to work for me on Tuesday, it had rained all night, and was hovering at 32/33 at our house, so the hill was a sheet of ice, so it took 4 wheel to get out. However, it got warmer as I drove towards Pasco, so once I got out onto Hendricks Rd the roads were fine. 17 and 395 were clear. Meachams headed home from Clarkston. With the increased temps, there was water everywhere on their way home, including across the road. Anna caught her cows, 006 and Amora and put them in the heavy pen and then Anna, Ben and Kaine turned the rest of the cows onto the new stalks. Everyone did their normal chores and then Kaine and Kade drove around checking fences.
Toni signed everyone up for a virtual in-hand trail class, and Wednesday was the last day to get it done. The original plan was for us to all show weanlings. Because clearly you want to show a freshly halter broke weanling for in-hand trail. It really adds to the element of excitement. Due to weather conditions, inclusive of ice, snow, wind, etc., we didn’t get a chance to really work on the weanlings we wanted to show as much as we had hoped. So after Toni’s court and meetings her and the kids went down and got that done. After they got the videos done, they did work on a group of weanlings just for fun. The weather wasn’t terrible and a little mud never hurt anyone. Terry and Erina did theirs as well and sent us the videos. Terry feels like his and Hot Shots was so good they should hit the circuit. I printed off Kaine’s driver permit, so he can drive the adults around now. Toni is swamped at her law office with end of year stuff. Ben, Anna and Kaine ripped some of the old carpet out at our house. We having been slowly working on our floors for years. I have most of the flooring bought, it is just hard to find someone to come clear out to do it, and it hard to find the time to do it ourselves.
On Thursday Toni had Kaine drive her to Othello in-between calls to pick up a dessert for our holiday party that evening. They had lunch at the Cow Path bakery, Kaine really enjoyed the soup and bread bowl. I hear his driving was excellent for his first “real” drive. He got to drive on the highway and in town for his first outing. Some of the cousins questioned Toni’s sanity but she said she had nothing to lose. Kade also went along for the drive. After chores and everything else, we headed up to our annual holiday party with our neighbors. We had a lot of fun at the party, we all got to meet baby Havi for the first time.
We got our yearling weights on the bulls and show cattle around the house all done. The weather was pretty good. Anna tied up her steers and the few steers she is halter breaking for other people. I decided to buy a puppy. It really worked out great. We sold our last mini colt- Weeman- to a friend’s sister. The friends took him to the coast to the sister. Then when they were over there, after they delivered the mini, they went and picked up the puppy- a beautiful black mini poodle. Our friends have 4 smaller children, so there were 4 kids and 2 adults in a crewcab pick-up with the puppy on the way home. Cec (the friend) was calling it the dog and pony show, because truly it was.
Happy New Years Eve. Saturday we got more heavy cows in. We are probably close to ¾ done calving. We decided to wean Summer, our last 2022 foal. She was born in July, but with the weather and feeding, we decided she is better off weaned. She is really gentle so we basically pushed her into the weaning pen. Then we brought Holly in to be with her. They are our two youngest foals from 2023, so maybe could use some extra TLC just because. Then we went to Connell to the show barn party and played games until midnight. Lane came over and went with us. We had a great time, the weather wasn’t terrible and Kaine got to drive us over and back, so got some night driving in. He had lots of backseat drivers both directions, but he handled it like a pro.
And we are off into a new year! Welcome to 2023. We started the year out right by finishing getting yearling weights on the heifers and looked through them to decide who we are going to sell of the Herefords and AI heifers. We had to go through them multiple times to narrow it down. Toni wants 2 of mine so she kept chiming in that I should sell those. The whole point of selling some is that we have kept too many, so I am not sure how selling them to her would help the situation. Toni tried to buy a new stud. She had a stupidly low budget for what she wanted to buy. She did not get it done. The weather was decent, so the first day of 2023 was good. All of the horses and cattle looked good.
Expectations for 2023 are high. And why not? We are really excited to see what this year brings in the way of new friends, new challenges (as long as they are fun), our new foals and calves, along with the everyday challenges of ranching.
KT Jackpot City Stallion Sire: City Smarts. Dam: Lenas Abbie N Charge Date Born: 8/21/14 Color: Dun, he is color tested as e/e, A/a, N/Cr, D/N Price: $10,000 Click here for more Picture Jackpot is a really pretty moving dun stallion, he is bred for performance deluxe. “Abbie” is a daughter of Smart Like Lena with Mr. Charge Bar on the bottom side. Smart Like Lena is a son of Smart Little Lena and has lifetime earnings of over $89,000.00 a ROM in cutting, and has sired offspring earning over $100,000 in NCHA money. Many people think of Mr. Charge Bar, on Abbie’s bottom side, as a racehorse, which he was, but he also was an NCHA money earner, had 33 AQHA performance points, 11 halter points, and an SI of 75. City Smarts is by An Educated Guess, 385 reining points, and the highest point earning son of Smart Chic Olena. This is a pretty moving stallion with tons of ability. As on July 2019 Jackpot is 14.3 hands tall. Click here for Jackpot 5 Panel Test, he’s negative on his 5 panel. He has not been ridden since we got him back from the trainer. He has been turned out with mares.
KT Willie War Doc Colt Sire: Doll Docsan, “Leroy” Dam: KT Copper Doc Lona Date Born: 3/23/22 Click here for more pictures Color: Palomino Price: $5,000 Here is another phenomenal colt out of Lona by Leroy. Lona is out of Docs Sizzle Bar and Copper War Chic, “Chicken”. Chicken was a great cow horse and show horse that we had for many years. We did not start breeding Chicken until she was in her 20s, so we only got three foals out of her, one filly and two colts. We broke Lona to ride and have used her as a broodmare. Lona’s grandsire was Willie War Chic, ROM Race ~ SI 95. Loan’s breeding also includes, Sizzlin Hot, Docs Dee Bar, Ed Echols and more. Leroy is a stallion with a performance packed pedigree along with a very good disposition. He was a very smooth ride with tremendous talent, beautiful movement and huge stop. He was quiet and trainable which he passes along to his foals; he consistently produces fantastic foals with looks, color, conformation and brains. Leroy was unshown due to a wire cut injury that took a long time to heal; it happened just before hitting the showpen as a 3 year old and as a result he was turned out to the studpen. Leroy has produced 1 foal that has NRHA earnings. He also has a 3 year old competing in Western Dressage, was 3rd in Canada in July 2016 and has racked up more 1st place finishes since then. He is sired by Dolls Union Jac- ROM, NRHA earnings, and sired foals that have earnings in excess of $310,000.00 in NRHA, as well as earnings in NRCHA, Buckskin Assoc., and the AQHA world show. Leroy’s dam is Docsan Jeany who has produced foals with earnings in excess of $3700.00 and AQHA point earners. Leroy is also double registered with NFQHA at 92%.
KT Hez Big and Rich Colt Sire: KT Heza Pana Dude, “Dude” Dam: Reed Dunny Doll, “Dunny” Date Born: 5/2/22 Click here for more pictures Color: Palomino Price: $5,000 KT Hez Big and Rich is a delightful colt by KT Heza Pana Dude, “Dude” and is out of Reed Dunny Doll, “Dunny.” Dude is by Zinks Major Kid and out of Panas May Day. Dude is a great stallion with some unique markings, and has great breeding that includes Pana Dude, Major Bonanza, Skipper W, Skipster and more. Dunny is a daughter of point earner Reeds Rangler, with point earners Somethinglovely and Johnny Pine also in her pedigree. She is a granddaughter of Snipper Reed and Pine Doc Smith. Her pedigree is full of performance, cow, show and running horses. This is a big built dun mare that really throws nice foals. She has an awesome disposition and confirmation. This colt is going to be a great roping, ranch, show, trail, all around colt.
Monday was cold, but looking at the weather forecast, NOT the coldest day of the week. Or even close. Ben checked cows, broke ice, tagged calves, etc. Toni went down to get the trailer to take Cross in to Sagehill Vet and helped Ben pull a calf. Mom helped Toni go down to the corral and get Cross. They took Tank in with them too, Cross loves Tank, they are across the fence from each other. Cross is a very sensitive soul, so it was quite an experience for him. They got the new vet at Sagehill that is the large animal vet. Cross did very well considering. Mom made the boys hot coco after chores, so they had some hot coco with their whipped cream. Xia (one of Kaine’s cows) looked like she was calving, so Ben and Anna locked her in the barn, since the wind was so bitterly cold. When I went out to check at 9 she had just calved, and of course has it on the edge of the barn. So I brought in some fresh straw and moved it over onto the straw. Andee, Murtaugh and I went back out to check it at 9:45 to make sure it had nursed. Andee and Murtaugh go out to make sure the coyotes don’t eat me, since they are dogs they are concerned with coyotes. When Anna, Riggs and Lynn went out at midnight Gary, one of mom’s cows, had just calved. So she woke Ben up and they took it into the saddle shed to warm it up and put Gary in the barn.
We woke up to fresh snow on Tuesday. It was a dry snow, because on the highway it was swirling around like dust and made it very hard to see. Ben put Gary and her calf back together. Marlo brought a coffee into me Tuesday morning, she must have heard I was tired. Toni and Ben went to the dairy and got another jersey/char heifer for Dark Knight, one of Kade’s cows, Ben and Anna pulled a dead calf during the night. Victor did not think Toni looked very lawyer like when she picked up the heifer. I am slightly worried we are going to end up with two nurse cows. But you know, if you have one you might as well have two. Ben got Chocolate Oreo in, who is actually an Angus but she was always with Oreo so mom changed her name to Chocolate Oreo, because Chocolate Oreo’s calf did not want to be out in the alfalfa field so she came back to the barn, without her mom. Everyone has been doing their normal chores. When the dogs and I went out to check at 9 Sparkles was calving, so we got her in into the barn and turned Chocolate Oreo and her calf out next to the barn. When Anna checked at midnight, she had not calved yet so she woke Ben up and they pulled it. Ada and 947 both had calved, so they got them into the barn as well.
It was still bitterly cold on Wednesday. The weatherman said the temps are 30 degrees below average. Anna had a dentist appointment, so Ben, Anna and Anna’s friend Brandy went. They brought a coffee to me on their way home. I am doing pretty good on the coffee front. Kaine stayed home to check the cows. The boys and Toni did chores. When Ben and Anna got home they build a new pen for the jersey/char heifers (Ivy and Goldy) since the barn was full.
Thursday was another cold one. Basically, it takes all day on the cold ones just to get ice broke, cattle and horses fed, anything that calves into the barn, cycling out the others, etc.
I had Friday off for the holiday. Toni took the four kids to Connell to help decorate the show barn for Christmas Eve. Ben and I checked cows and took pictures of calves. Two cows had “hid” their calves by the water trough on the ice, so we got the cows to come back to their calves and got them pushed over onto the straw. McCall and McKenna came around to visit everyone, on one of the two days that McKenna was home, and she had gotten in at 3 that morning. I took them out to see the clubby calves, took pics while we drove around. The girls took pictures too. We passed the camera around. McCall likes my new lens too. The two big boys went sledding after chores, Kade was way more iced up then Kaine when they got back, maybe the sled bucked him of more?? The men came down and put hay out. Toni rode around on the sled a bit too while the boys were doing chores. I guess it was the sledding day.
Merry Christmas Eve. During the day we did the normal stuff, fed, moved calves out of the barn, moved calves into the barn. Did chores. Then we went to Connell to the show barn for the white elephant gift exchange. We all had a lot of fun. But we missed Traci, Manny and the girls.
We got up Christmas day to see what Santa had brought, which was a very special calf for Anna out of her cow, then went to mom and dads to open presents and eat breakfast. Then the Meachams headed up to Clarkston, or over. We went home and checked cows and got Christmas lunch ready. Joe and grandma came over, Terry and Erinia came down and mom, dad and Skip came over. We had a great lunch of brisket, mashed potatoes, rolls and lots of desserts. Then we played a new Tik Tok came that Kaine got at white elephant and grandma whipped us all. Then we did chores.
We may not wish for a white Christmas, and we may not want one, but it does make for some pretty pictures. We all had a very Merry Christmas full of family, fun, and way too much food. Hopefully your family had a very Merry Christmas as well. There is nothing better than spending time with the ones we love, especially if those ones we love come with 4 legs.
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