Paca Paca News Official Newsletter of the Peruvian Horse Association of Canada

PACA PACA

Official Newsletter for The Peruvian Horse Association of Canada

VOL 28: December 2020

Paradise Ranch STRENGTH

GAIT

PARADISEHORSES.COM

BRIO

In This Issue:

Fire and Ice by Gail Rogers Articles and photos by members showing their activities during this Pandemic year: Trail Riding, Camping, Virtual Showing, Photography, & Practice/Training

Stoneridge Horses go the Distance on the Trail!

Joe & Kimberly Sheridan

Rocky Mountain House, AB Stallions at Stud • Horses for Sale stoneridgeperuvians.com • kim@stoneridgeperuvians.com • 403-510-8090

Well, a very different year for all of us is coming to an end. Thank goodness for our horses, who have helped us through the quarantines and lockdowns. They are always there to provide emotional support and give us another avenue to take our minds off COVID. For many of us, no shows seemed a little strange at first, but we made up for it with more trail riding and camping with the horses. A lot less stressful than showing although we missed seeing our friends from the other side of the border.

Next year is promising to be more normal with cross border travel and shows probably returning later in the year. There will be some changes to show rules that will be finalized over the winter and we are looking at putting in a part blood registry over the next two years. The “Between the Ears” recreational riding program will also start in 2021. This program is sponsored by the regional clubs as well as several ranches, and offers some cool prizes just for doing what you love; spending time with your horses. There are more details on “BTE” elsewhere in this issue.

Enclosed with your Paca Paca is a 2021 calendar from Paso Llano Magazine showcasing our beautiful horses. Thank you so much Kelly and Andres from Paso Llano for providing the calendar so we can mail it out to you.

We have two new directors joining us this year, Cathie Taggart from BC and Mimi Busk-Downey from Alberta. Both have served on the PHAC board before so we appreciate the experience they will bring. Directors finishing their terms in 2020 were Rick Matheson and Kristin Eldridge. Much appreciation to both of them for their contributions and guidance over the past several years.

Also in this issue, you will find a membership renewal form for 2021. The primary mandates of the PHAC are to provide resources to owners, maintain the integrity of the breed registration process, and promote the Peruvian horse where possible. We really depend on your support to do this and hope that you will all continue as members.

Please stay safe as we close out 2020 and start a new year. Hopefully we will be able to get together more in the future to enjoy this wonderful breed of horse.

Your PHAC Board of Directors

MIMI BUSK-DOWNEY Box 449 Acme AB T0M 0A0 Phone: 403-546-4331 Email: soberano31@gmail.com

JAN SJODIN 1353 Salmon River Rd Salmon Arm, BC V1E3H3 Phone: 250-832-11880 Email: 4beat@telus.net

RICK CONES RR1 Cayley, Alberta T0L 0P0 Phone: 403-540-4841 Email: rick.cones@gmail.com

Chantelle Sawatzky 7886 Bench Row Vernon, BC V 1H 1H3 Phone: 250-558-4743 Email: chantelle.sawatzky@gmail.com

CATHIE TAGGART 4234 Hales Road, Armstrong, BC V0E 1B0 Phone: (403) 935-4435 Email: ctaggart@telus.net

Executive Treasurer WILLIE JOHNSON 250 Prestwick Close SE Calgary, AB T2Z 4Y4 Email: willie-jj@hotmail.com

Executive Secretary GUS McCOLLISTER Lyalta, Alberta T0J 1Y0 Phone: (403) 935-4435 Email: gusmccollister@efirehose.net

Introducing "Between the Ears"

A NEW recreational riding program brought to you from the PHAC Starting in 2021!

FREE Registration for PHAC Members!

Horses must be PHAC or NAPHA registered to participate Register and start logging your hours in the saddle!

Go at your own speed and work towards milestones and GREAT PRIZES along the way.

Program Rules and Registration forms are available on www.phac.ca or by emailing info@phac.ca

Thank you to our sponsors: It's not about the destination, it's about the journey.

And not everyone's journey looks the same. www.phac.ca • info@phac.ca

"FIRE" and "WATER"

There is a vibrant energy and a fluid grace in a Peruvian Paso horse, and even more so in the Peruvian Paso stallion. Commonly referred to as "brio", this energy and elegance oers a winning combination that stallion owner, John Rodgers refers to as "fire" and "water".

Orgullo del Peru is a Peruvian Paso stallion living in Alberta, Canada. John and this stallion have a unique bond that both of them quietly display, quite unknowingly. They simply enjoy being together.

Last we checked, Orgullo del Peru was the highest points Peruvian Paso stallion in Canada. His ribbons and awards decorate a curio cabinet in our living room.

Orgullo is 13 years old. He was raised at Paradise Ranch where he boarded until John brought him home in 2019. John and Orgullo would meet up at several shows during the year and between shows there were occasional visits.

Always both man and horse were delighted to see one another. A simple familiar whistle brought a whinny of welcome every time.

Three times in the Las Vegas show Orgullo and John won Stallion at Liberty as the horse ran free for a set period of time, to return to his owner quickly and willingly at the sound of that whistle.

Since coming to our acreage last fall, Orgullo has settled in, happy to welcome John to the pasture every day and enjoying frequent rides together in the country. He happily displays his energy as he enjoys the run of the pasture, kicking and tossing his head in true stallion style. That's the "fire".

Yet the grace of this magnificent animal is also displayed as he soaks up the

sun, lying contentedly, completely welcoming to John having his morning coee with him.

Both horse and man seem oblivious to the bond they share. It's simply a deep pleasure they both enjoy. The fiery spirit and gentle nature of this horse, who trains hard and yet is eager to please, is truly a pleasure to watch. Fire and Water. An apt description of Orgullo del Peru.

Gail Rodgers

Trail Riding at Hideaway Horse Camp – August 2020 Although we really missed attending our regular shows this year, it gave us good reason to check out a few horse camps in our beautiful province. Late August we joined Deanna Dacosta and Danika Riekstra for a couple of days of riding at Hideaway Horse Camp. The privately owned camp is located in the Okanagan Highlands approximately 15 km east of Oliver. It was quite the climb up to the camp (elevation about 3450 feet) but good paved road all the way.

We were greeted by the owner (Anna-Maria) who helped us figure out the best place to park.

Not a lot of room for large LQ trailers (probably 4 small rigs or 2 large LQ trailers) but we managed to squeeze in. There are 4 double corrals that are very spacious and with trees that provide some shade.

We headed out for a short ride later that afternoon. The network of trails are on crown land and are are mixture of old logging roads and cow/horse trails. Cattle are ranged in the area through the summer. We were fortunate enough to run across a herd of young wild horses, and Deanna was able to get some great photos.

The next day we awoke to smoke filled skies. There were two nearby fires, Omak Washington to the south and Penticton to the north. It wasn’t bad enough to keep us from heading out for the day. There are miles and miles of trails, with lots of different terrain and scenery.

We saw more little groups of “wildies” along with lots of range cattle.. and a lazy old bull. One of the trails was called the “painted rock” trail and has numerous little painted rocks put out from which you are allowed to choose one to keep. The owner (Anna-Maria) does up a bunch of these little rocks over the winter to pass the time.

The last morning we were there we decided to go for a short ride and check out the Balancing Rock. This huge boulder sits precariously on the ledge of a cliff. Mythology of the Osoyoos

Indian Band says the world will end should the rock ever tip over. Yikes!!

Was a great time and would recommend as a place to go. Horses do need shoes or boots as some of the trails are a bit rocky.

Horse Camping at Timber Ridge Trails ~ Lumby, BC In the year of Covid-19 when our horse shows were cancelled, we went horse camping several times at Timber Ridge Trails in Lumby BC. The Peruvian Horse Club of BC even held their Annual General Meeting there in August.

Timber Ridge is a lovely, peaceful place to ride and camp, an unexpected oasis.

The camp sites are situated in the trees as are the horse corrals, keeping all of us cool in the 30* heat. Access is good for horse trailers and large RV’s.

They also have 4 cabins to rent for those who don’t have LQ or camper, each uniquely decorated and vary in size. Rates for the cabins are per person and very reasonable. The common area has a large fire pit where we gathered in the evenings for dinner and adult beverages. There’s even a dance floor for non-Covid times.

Owner Darlene is an amazing hostess and is very accommodating in every way. She went out of her way on each of our visits to make us welcome, comfortable and well fed. Her outdoor kitchen offers everything a well-stocked kitchen should and she is an incredible cook. We enjoyed many meals and desserts, all made from scratch with local, farm fresh ingredients.

The riding trails are extensive. Some are easier, others are more difficult and some have a significant elevation gain, but most have spectacular views and all are well marked.

Some are soft enough for barefoot horses but many are more rugged so shoes or boots are recommended.

Timber Ridge offers a sand arena where we had some fun playing silly horse games with the group. There is also a trail course which includes a collection of obstacles like a teeter-totter and bridge.

There is plenty of riding to be done there. The owners are currently expanding their facility to include several more camp sites and other new facilities. This place is a must-visit and in normal times, when they are very busy as a wedding venue during the summer months, it is important to book ahead if you want to visit TRT.

Practice/Training & Work

Type to enter text

Photography,

Bonding, Trail Riding

Virtual Shows 2020 – A Judge’s Perspective

By Mimi Busk-Downey

In 2020, unable to hold in-person shows, the North American Peruvian Horse Association held two Virtual Shows. Horses registered PHAC or NAPHA were allowed to enter. Canadian horses and exhibitors were well represented in the two shows.

The classes offered were Breeding, Open Performance and Amateur Performance. In the second show, Trail Class was added, and the Open Performance pattern was made more difficult. Trail classes were open to registered purebred and partbred Peruvians.

The format offered was a pattern for each class. Since each person would set this up in their own ranch, specific measurements were given, but the cones or obstacles marking the maneuvers were whatever objects the entrant wanted to use. There were measurements for the approximate distance from the camera.

For the first show, there were 208 entries, far more than expected. The entry videos were randomly grouped, with four or five entry videos per “flight”, and these were uploaded with entry number on each video. The judges were provided with a YouTube link for each flight (class number). Multiple judges were assigned to judge each division, and we each placed the entries for that grouping, and recorded our placings electronically. The top two in each class moved on to the next round. In the first show, all judges judged all classes, unless there was a conflict of interest. No one really knew how much time it would take to process the entries, for judges to judge them, and for the next groupings to be made available for judging. It was somewhat difficult because all involved in the show were “on call” for several days to do sudden urgent work, then we would wait for the next phase. In the second show, everyone knew the time involved, and for this reason three judges were used for the Breeding Division and three judges for the Performance Classes. An additional judge did only the Trail Class. There was no communication between the judges while the show was going on, and we did not see results. We only saw the next grouping and judged it as a new class. Then those top two in the semi-finals moved to the Finals and were again judged as a new class.

From my perspective as a judge, the shows were incredibly interesting. We had the opportunity to see horses in their home environments, where they are comfortable, and because the horses worked one by one, the horses and riders had no distractions. It was amazing to see everyone’s ranches. We had lawns, outdoor sand arenas, and recently cleared work areas probably made especially for the filming. We saw a variety of covered work areas ranging from professional – style arenas, to modest shops that serve double-duty for indoor riding. Next, the entrants had the opportunity to make several videos and submit the best one. This meant that some of the videos were close to flawless, making the judging exceedingly difficult. One the judges’ side, we were able to watch each video more than once. In a live show, a little

mistake or a wonderful moment can pass by and be missed or forgotten. In the virtual show, not much will be missed. However, it really does point up the importance of considering each class on its own merit, because in this case we are using the exact same video, judging one performance against another.

Through luck of the draw, an entry could win first in a preliminary class, and then go up against other winners, and end up 2nd in the next round, and then 6th in the finals. Conversely a horse could get 2nd place in two rounds and possibly end up first in the finals, especially if two judges liked that performance and disagreed on the some of the others. This is true in any multi-judge system. Exhibitors also had the opportunity to pay a nominal fee for a one-on-one follow up with the judge. The feedback from these calls has been positive, and since the judges volunteer, it adds income for the association and value for the member.

One of the most striking aspects of the virtual show was that we saw members enter who had never showed in a live show. It pointed up how this format could widen the appeal of horse showing. It is not the same as going to a show, and it does not have the social aspects of the show. However, it is very inclusive. The barriers of vacation time and cost, and even a transportation are all removed.

My own point of view is that these virtual shows should continue even after we resume live shows. Classes could be held for gaited dressage and working equitation, that currently do not easily fit into our show formats. The performance classes allow an exhibitor to practice and improve with motivation. Breeding classes allow an exhibitor to “test out� a horse in a competition, before investing a large sum in hauling to a show. Having a chance to compare a horse to other good horses is the main reason for showing. With all the adversity we have experienced in the pandemic, we may develop a lasting benefit for Peruvian Horse owners. ◊

NAPHA Cyber Show II Sept 2020

by Jean Thom Earlier this year, due to the covid-19 epidemic, I had a great new experience by becoming a part of the Virtual Peruvian Horse Show organized by NAPHA, I am excited to share my thoughts on the procedure.

Please know this is “my take” on the procedure of setting up for the cyber show.

All the years I have been riding my Peruvians, I have never measured out the cones I just put them out.

I found it very challenging to measure the distances. The start and finish for the allowed distance of 100 ft. is a definite. Measuring to the first cone, was longer than the next four, they were the same and the last one, same as first. Setting up the camera person was easy as the requested measurement was quite clear. Very important as requested the videographer would be to the exhibitors left as they come around the last cone. The coarse had to be practiced to keep it in the allowed time frame of 60 seconds.

The process of entering, at first, was a bit confusing and I actually entered the same class twice, just from a small mistake I made. The entry form was pretty specific to NAPHA members & horses. No explanation on Canadian registered horses, so I made a phone call to a friend for help. On the form I did not put PHAC, then his registration #. When I finally realized my mistake, the whole process went very smooth with the entry and sending in the video If you are a NAPHA member the entry was a bit less. I also requested the Judges evaluation, which, I received from one of the judges by phone and that is something that I recommend for one horse owners like myself that really want to participate, whom at live shows may not have an opportunity to talk to the judges.

It was so well organized with info on classes and judges We were also able to hear from the judges what they are looking for in each class, which we do at live shows but we could go back over and hear the videos as many times as we wanted.

Next year will be so much easier now that I have set it up I learnt a lot from watching my own video and the others, I now know my left from my right where I always make mistakes. That is huge to me and of course my horse & I had a lot of laughs about that.

I, for sure am going to enter again, but live shows I have to admit, are a lot more fun, seeing friends, going through the barns looking at horses, visiting and all the other things that we all do at horse shows.

And we get one chance in the ring. That’s it!

Stay safe; wear a mask and happy winter riding everyone!

Trail Riding in the Foothills of the Rocky Mountains Rick Matheson

What does a retired Peruvian horse trainer do for fun when there are no horse shows in 2020? How about some trail riding and exploring the Alberta Foothills?

I was lucky to get to know a few retired horsemen who have lived in the Calgary area for many years and were anxious to introduce me to the spectacular trails that are available within a few hours of the city. We started our riding season at the beginning of June and tried to hit the trails every week until October.

Keith, Tony, Blane and I (sometimes along with my son Adam) explored the breathtaking Kananaskis areas of Mesa Butte (west of Millarville), Sandy McNabb and Blue Rock (west of Turner Valley/Black Diamond), the Bob Creek Wildland Park/Black Creek Heritage Rangeland (west of Coleman) and the Ya Ha Tinda Ranch (west of Sundre). Most were day trips and a couple were overnight camping trips.

Bob Creek Wildland Park/Black Creek Heritage Rangeland

Sandy McNabb Trails

Cooling off in a creek on the Hogsback ride in the Kananaskis

Alberta has some beautiful country for riding, and I plan to return to the mountains in 2021 to enjoy more fun rides and awesome views.

Enjoying the view on the Mesa Butte trail

Big Horn Falls at Ya Ha Tinda Ranch

Adam & Rick Matheson enjoying the trail on their Peruvian horses

Our Mesa Butte June ride. Look at the scenery!

Hidden Valley Rustic Horse Camp – July 2020

Well 2020 certainly was a different year for sure. No shows meant we had the opportunity to check out the local horse camping/trail riding venues. We were not disappointed. BC sure has some wonderful places to camp & ride.

Hidden Valley Rustic Horse Camp is one of those places. It’s an easy drive located between Kamloops & Merritt. The campsite is nestled down in the valley bottom, it’s very rustic (as in the name) and completely off the grid. The camp has 4 cabins, 2 coin operated showers (hot & cold water ) and many pull thru campsites with fire pits & picnic tables. To top it off there is a lovely creek to relax in and safely introduce your horse to water.

We also took in the local cidery, Left Field Cider Co., which is just down the road. You have to drive to the cidery as there is no longer access available by horseback. We all enjoyed their sampling room and came home with some very tasty beverages did

The trails are varied, shoes or boots are recommended. Fly spray is a must and a canopy for shelter for your horse as none of the paddocks have any shade.

Great fun was had by all

!!!

Classified Ads Trail headsets with Peruvian bits for sale. Three sets available that were donated to the PHAC by a former Peruvian Paso owner and trail rider. $125 with Gamaria or $90 without.

Please phone Vicky at 403-498-6726.

This saddle software system was made by Don West of Have Saddle Will Travel. This is the overnight package that retailed for $229 Usd. It is made of two horn bags, two rear bags, and a detachable top cantle bag. These were liltely used and donated to the PHAC by a former Peruvian Paso owner and trail rider. We have 3 sets available in Grey, Green or Black. For sale for $75 Cdn OBO per set. Please phone Vicky at 403-498-6726

I am getting old and have changed my decor again !

For Sale Peruvian Antiques, 4 Peruvian show saddles & 1 English Side Saddle For more information: Email: suzie_brown@me.com

Colonial Rawhide Burrow Saddle Bags for carrying Pisco

Antique Silver Side Saddle Stirrups Colonial Cocoa Leaf Purses

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Crescent Moon Ranch — -

Rick & Deb Cones Chase, BC • Cayley, AB deb.cones@gmail.com

ringsteadranch.com