On April 26, a Nokota® contingent (Leo, Frank, Shelly, Castle, Thunder Hawk, and Blue-eyed Badger) arrived at historic Fort Robinson, Nebraska. Nestled under piney ridges, Fort Robinson is both picturesque and full of ghosts. Here at the old Red Cloud Agency site, many Lakota and Cheyenne families surrendered their freedom and their horses; Crazy Horse was killed at Fort Robinson.

Blue-Eyed Badger, a young Nokota® gelding, and Leo Kuntz look on as Paul Hedren, historian and NPS Superintendent, and Dr. Castle McLaughlin discuss the Nokotas.

Now restored, the cavalry post hosts a biannual conference for military historians. This year’s theme was “Four Legged Soldiers: The Horse and The Mule in the Plains Wars and Beyond.” Historian Paul Hedren, former superintendent at Fort Buford, site of Sitting Bull’s surrender, invited Castle McLaughlin to present a talk on the history of the Nokota® horses and their connection to the Sitting Bull horses, a topic that she began researching in 1986. Leo, Frank, and Shelly were also invited to show live Nokotas to the approximately 150 history lovers who gathered for the three day program of events.

Blue roan Nokota® stallion, Thunderhawk, poses calmly with Frank Kuntz, Dr. Castle McLaughlin and recognized historian and author Robert M. Utley

We went with some trepidation, given that several of the organizers and speakers were affiliated with the National Park Service, which cast the horses out during the 1980s. Much to our surprise and delight, our hosts were gracious, interested, and supportive. We had a great time visiting with historians, artists, musicians, packers and writers and touring local sites, including the Museum of the Fur Trade. Of course, the real stars of the weekend were the horses, who always prove themselves. Thunder Hawk even squired two very special riders. Both Jerome Greene, a leading scholar of the Indian wars, and Robert M. Utley, the dean of western historians, have now ridden - bareback- on this gentle stallion.

The conference was a really significant event for us, and we hope that it will prove to be another turning point towards a future for the horses.

We have added a link to www.NokotaHorseStories.com, a new blog-style website which features postings by Nokota® horse owners about their wonderful Nokota® horses! There are detailed instructions on the site for posting your information and adding photos. It's user friendly and we're here to help, so please don't hesitate to add your news to this site.

To get started, email us at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. and we will set you up with a userid and password. We will need your name, email address, and the name of the horse you want to "blog" about. We hope you enjoy this creative outlet for our proud Nokota® owners!!

The Nokota® display area was filled with pictures and information for those interested.

The weather was perfect and the crowds were steady! Things were a lot different in the horse barn this year ... there were the usual "What is a Nokota?" questions, and people were genuinely interested in the horses - wanting to learn about their temperament, their conformation, how they are used, and of course where they could get one. The Nokotas were the talk of the barn and a huge splash in the arena; anyone that saw either the parade of breeds or the breed demonstration rushed back to the barn to learn about the Nokota, plus they wanted a close-up look at the horses. The Nokota® horses were catching everyone's eyes in interest! We raised a fair amount in donations, and note cards and bumper stickers were purchased also.

We had an awesome demonstration of Nokotas this year with Ann Record and Sarah Werkmeister and Ann's two Nokotas Indigo Warrior and Range Rider, Heather Richter riding Brumby, and Nick & Alicia Teberg with Stryder. We couldn't have done it without help from friends (horse trainer Joe Thomas, artist Michele Pope Melina, Cowboy Poet Pop Wagner, and friends Chelsea, Lindsey, and Mason).

Ann Record rides Indigo Warrior, while Range Rider (center) and Brumby are taken through the parade of breeds in-hand.

People recognized the horses from magazine articles and many came back repeatedly to get a second or third look and learn more about the Nokotas and their unique history. As soon as they saw the pictures of the horses on the stalls it immediately drew them in, and from there they loved the horses! Thanks everyone for making this year's MN Horse Expo a HUGE success!!

Heather Richter and Brumby, a beautiful blue-eyed overo mare out of Blue Moon, WOW the crowds!

The Kentucky Horse Park is a one-of-a-kind equestrian theme park and working horse farm located in the heart of Bluegrass Country. It is the host of many prestigious events and activities – ranging from Rolex International 3-Day Event to BreyerFest.

Blue Moon Rising will be among the 24 different breeds exhibited in their twice-daily Parade of Breeds – one of the Park’s favorite attractions. And as a Breeds Barn resident, he will be on display to tens of thousands of Park visitors throughout the year.

We are so proud of Blue Moon Rising - a beautiful blue roan son of Blue Moon – for being selected for this opportunity. To learn more about this handsome blue Nokota® visit www.crazyhorsefarm.com.

And we extend our thanks to his owners - Chris & Margaret Odgers of Crazy Horse Farm in Paris, Kentucky – for so generously agreeing to loan him to the Kentucky Horse Park too.

So if you’re heading to the Kentucky Horse Park this year, be sure to visit their only Nokota® in residence - Blue Moon Rising - and give him a big hug from all of us here in North Dakota! www.kyhorsepark.com