Recent NHC News
For earlier news, please visit the archives.
Announcing Dressage at Devon Nokota Breed Class!
We are pleased to announce that beginning in 2008 there will be a Nokota breed class at the Dressage at Devon Horse Show in PA. The breed class is being sponsored by Friends of the Nokota Horse Conservancy. This is a wonderful opportunity to showcase the Nokota horses and to promote the Nokota breed at a premier horse show. The class will be held during the week of September 22, 2008. What an exciting challenge and opportunity!! Questions may be directed to Jill Murray at jmurraynokota@verizon.net.
Nokota Horses Make Debut in France
Four Nokota horses, which have traveled from Linton via Calgary, Alberta, will arrive in France on February 16, 2008, where they will form the core of the first Nokota breeding program in Europe.
The three mares and stud colt were bred and raised on the Kuntz Ranch in Linton, North Dakota, by brothers Leo and Frank Kuntz and were purchased by the family of François Marchal, who first visited North Dakota in 2005 out of curiosity about the breed sparked by an article in a French equestrian magazine. The family visited again in the summer of 2007 to identify the horses they wanted for their breeding program.
The Kuntz family and the Nokota Horse Conservancy, founded a decade ago, have been instrumental in preserving the Nokotas, which are descended from the last surviving population of wild horses in the state. For at least a century, the Nokotas' forbearers occupied the Little Missouri badlands. In the 1980s, Leo and Frank Kuntz began purchasing horses removed from the Theodore Roosevelt Park by the National Park Service. The brothers, impressed with the "Parkies" as rugged, versatile, athletic, and intelligent, joined forces with scholars from across the country to document the horses' history and unique genetic characteristics. The Nokota Horse Conservancy maintains a registry and breeding program aimed at producing horses that reflect the historical type of horses that were used by both Native Americans and ranchers during the early years of the region's inhabitation.
This year the Conservancy will celebrate it's 10th annual meeting (June 14, 2008) and will welcome visitors from across the country - and the world - to visit the approximately 700 Nokotas in Linton, most of which live in semi-wild bands. As the breed has garnered increasing attention in horse and general-interest publications, more and more horses have gone to new owners from coast to coast and border to border - and now the Nokotas go to France.
10th Annual Meeting (Summer 08’)
JOIN US as we celebrate a decade of preservation efforts! The 10th Annual Meeting of the Nokota Horse Conservancy is set for Saturday, June 14th, 2008 and the day will be chalked full of activities involving the past, present and future of the native horse of the northern plains.
Though the meeting will be held on Saturday, the festivities are likely to start the preceding Thursday, the 12th, and end sometime on Sunday, the 15th. The following events will probably be somewhere on the schedule that weekend: Horses on the Prairie Camp, a street dance, campfire, pasture tours, catered meals and more!
Planning ahead and in need of a place to stay? Don’s Motel has already set aside a large block of rooms. Call 701.254.5457 at your earliest convenience. The motel is located right in Linton and is a short walk or drive from most event locations.
For those of you prepared to stay in the great outdoors, there is a beautiful little park just outside town that accommodates campers and tents and includes bathroom and shower facilities.
Whether we are just one stop on a road trip or the main event of your summer vacation we would love for you to join us at the 10th Annual Meeting of the Nokota Horse Conservancy. See you in June!
Nokota: State horse would make ideal nickname
by Patrick Miller
2 December 2007
The University of North Dakota might soon need to replace the venerable Fighting Sioux nickname and logo. Why not use the official state horse, the Nokota, as the basis for a new nickname and logo? UND could become the Wild Nokotas or the Fighting Nokotas (or whatever adjective is appropriate).
Here are the reasons I believe the Nokota would make an outstanding new nickname for UND:
- The Nokota is an athletic horse known for its intelligence, independence, strength, stamina and ability to survive in harsh conditions. Therefore, the Nokota is the ideal symbol for a North Dakota-based athletic team.
- The name “Nokota” is a combination of the words “North” and “Dakota,” the name of the state and the university.
- The Nokota horse is unique to North Dakota. It’s not likely that any other university would use or adopt this name.
- The Nokota horse is indelibly linked to the state’s history, especially to some of the territory’s earliest and most famous inhabitants.
- The Nokota is already officially recognized as North Dakota’s state horse. Therefore, it makes perfect sense for the state’s flagship university to adopt the Nokota as the symbol of its athletic teams .
- Representing the people of North Dakota, the Nokota is a symbol in which everyone can take pride.
- The potential to develop a strong, striking logo and marketing themes based on the Nokota are nearly limitless.
- It’s likely that if UND changes its nickname, the vestiges of the old Fighting Sioux logo will remain in Ralph Engelstad Arena. A Nokota logo would not look incongruous next to the Fighting Sioux logo.
I encourage Sioux fans to visit the Nokota Horse Conservancy website to read about the Nokota breed and learn more about the efforts to preserve it. Any increased public exposure the Nokota receives could help raise awareness and assist in the effort to preserve an important part of North Dakota’s past.
UND’s hockey team is known nationwide and its other athletic teams will soon be competing on a national stage in NCAA Division I athletics. By adopting the Nokota horse as a nickname and logo, UND would get a terrific new identity and the efforts to preserve the Nokota horse would receive a boost
.To follow this online discussion, please visit the SiouxSports Blog Site, dedicated to online news and discussion about University of North Dakota sports.
NEWS FLASH!
New article critiques National Park Service management of Nokota horses. The Fargo Forum published an article, written by Patrick Springer, on Saturday, November 3, 2007, outlining a detailed account of the history of the Nokotas in Theodore Roosevelt Nat'l Park.
— Read the article in it's entirety here.
— Download it as a PDF file here.
We would urge your participation in this supreme effort by providing comments to the Fargo Forum through this link http://www.in-forum.com/talk/index.cfm?id=2108&article_id=2108, or by writing to the National Park Service directly, asking them to reconsider their position on the horses.
Thank You!!
10th Annual Meeting (Summer 08’)
JOIN US as we celebrate a decade of preservation efforts! The 10th Annual Meeting of the Nokota Horse Conservancy is set for Saturday, June 14th, 2008 and the day will be chalked full of activities involving the past, present and future of the native horse of the northern plains.
Though the meeting will be held on Saturday, the festivities are likely to start the preceding Thursday, the 12th, and end sometime on Sunday, the 15th. The following events will probably be somewhere on the schedule that weekend: Horses on the Prairie Camp, a street dance, campfire, pasture tours, catered meals and more!
Planning ahead and in need of a place to stay? Don’s Motel has already set aside a large block of rooms. Call 701.254.5457 at your earliest convenience. The motel is located right in Linton and is a short walk or drive from most event locations.
For those of you prepared to stay in the great outdoors, there is a beautiful little park just outside town that accommodates campers and tents and includes bathroom and shower facilities.
Whether we are just one stop on a road trip or the main event of your summer vacation we would love for you to join us at the 10th Annual Meeting of the Nokota Horse Conservancy. See you in June!
Nokotas in Dressage!
Takoda, Jill Murray’s Bay Roan Nokota, has earned two United States Dressage Federation (USDF) performance awards for 2008; Training Level Horse Performance and First Level Rider Performance. These awards are granted when a horse/rider combination has earned qualifying scores of 60% or higher at recognized USDF competitions.
Photo courtesy of Susan J. Stickle
Takoda (Hammer x Lulu), a 10-year-old 17 H Ranch Cross, was bred by Doug Moffitt of Silver Tip Ranch, Montana and Jill purchased him from Blair and Charlie Fleischmann 6 years ago. Jill and Cody train with Dorie Addy-Crow, a USDF Gold Medalist, located in Nottingham PA.
In 2007, Jill and Cody qualified for both the USDF Region 1 Championships and the Colonel Bengt Ljungquist Memorial Championships at Training Level and First Level. Wearing the Nokota Horse Conservancy emblem on their saddle pads, this eye catching pair get a lot of attention and questions about the Nokota breed while at East Coast Dressage Shows. Jill has the 3-minute Nokota history down pat and carries brochures in her Dressage coat pocket at the ready!
“Cody” and Jill are actively promoting Nokotas in Dressage through the USDF. In 2008, the Nokota breed will be recognized by the USDF in their All Breeds award program. In addition, a Nokota breed division at Dressage at Devon, a premier east coast USDF Dressage Show, is in the works. At the grass roots level, Jill will be sponsoring a Nokota high score Dressage award in 2 rider categories, (novice and open), at Blue Goose Stables Dressage Schooling shows in 2008 to generate interest in Dressage for Delaware Valley Nokota owners.
Jill says she is lonely with the only Nokota at Region 1 USDF shows and can’t wait until other Nokotas are competing with her! 2008 will see the USDF debut of Jill’s Painted Canyon II colt, Howakhan, at Training Level and Takoda at Second Level and First Level Musical Freestyle.
Update on Moonshine and the Kentucky Horse Park
Moonshine (aka Blue Moon Rising) has completed his virgin season at Kentucky Horse Park and is now enjoying the leisure of home at Crazy Horse Farm with Margaret and Chris Odgers and their family. The following slideshow link gives you a glimpse into his first year at the country's most prestigious horse park. The KHP apparently made it clear they are anxious to have him return for the 2008 season. We are SO proud!!
EQUINE AFFAIRE - W. Springfield, MA.
The Nokota Horse Conservancy is currently attending Equine Affaire at the Big E in W. Springfield, MA. There are Nokota horses in attendance to represent the breed, and Frank Kuntz, one of the founders of the organization, is there answering questions and handing out brochures. The Conservancy booth is located in the Stroh Building, #2112. If you happen to be in the neighborhood, please stop by and say "hello".
The expo runs through Sunday, November 11, 2007. For more information on the Equine Affaire in W. Springfield, MA, please see http://www.equineaffaire.com/massachusetts/index.html.
NEWS FLASH!
New article critiques National Park Service management of Nokota horses. The Fargo Forum published an article, written by Patrick Springer, on Saturday, November 3, 2007, outlining a detailed account of the history of the Nokotas in Theodore Roosevelt Nat'l Park.
— Read the article in it's entirety here.
— Download it as a PDF file here.
We would urge your participation in this supreme effort by providing comments to the Fargo Forum through this link http://www.in-forum.com/talk/index.cfm?id=2108&article_id=2108, or by writing to the National Park Service directly, asking them to reconsider their position on the horses.
Thank You!!
Theodore Roosevelt National Park
Wild Horse Round-Up 2007
Frank and Leo Kuntz were in attendance at Theodore Roosevelt National Park's Wild Horse Round-up scheduled for Thursday and Friday, October 18 and 19, 2007. Late on the morning of the first day, the Park's only helicopter crashed, bringing the proceedings to a prompt end. (see video record) The horses already in the catch pens were released to run free once again. The round-up will be postponed until the fall of 2008.
For more information, see this article from the Bismarck Tribune.
Return of the Prodigal Nokota
Poster Boy/Waka Nambe
Several years ago, Margaret Odgers sold a beautiful son of Red Badger and Poster Girl - over the internet! - to Susan Fraser who was then living in Colorado. And ever since, we've wondered what became of the stunning and charismatic gelding that we knew as "Poster Boy." So we were estatic to find "Waka Nambe" competing in the Champagne Run Horse Trials at the Horse Park on the same weekend as Breyerfest! Now living with Sue in South Carolina, Waka Nambe is being trained and shown by Naomi Fretz. The Champagne Run was only his second show; keep your eyes on this up and coming Nokota!
Breyerfest 2007!
After much anticipation, the Nokota Horse was named Breyer's 2007 Benefit Model. Now, BreyerFest 2007 is fast approaching, and the office is busy with preparations for this unusual event that focuses on models and their living inspirations. July 20, 21 and 22 are the dates for BreyerFest, a celebration of all the model horses made by Breyer. The site for this event is the Kentucky Horse Park, a state-of-the-art facility for horses…and their models.
The in-house Nokota representative, Blue Moon Rising, has been admired by visitors all year, and he will be accompanied by several other Nokotas in demonstrations set to music. These breed demonstrations show off the talent, trainability and temperament of the horses, and the Nokotas will be no exception.
But BreyerFest is about the models, and the Nokota Horse Conservancy is pleased and honored to be Breyer's 2007 Benefit Model. Visitors to the Kentucky Horse Park are encouraged to find the Conservancy's booth, and purchase their Breyer model with signatures of key supporters of the horses. Proceeds from Breyer model sales directly benefit the horses and the Conservancy's efforts to preserve them.
Horse Around Days - July 21-22, 2007
Dale Offermann and his Nokota stallion, Chief, of Arlington, WA will be attending and performing at the 1st Annual Horse Around Days Event - a premier Pacific Northwest Equine Extravaganza - on July 21-22, 2007. The event is being held at the Skagit County Fairgrounds in Mount Vernon, WA. We wish Dale and Chief the very best and look forward to hearing all about their adventure. For more information about Horse Around Days and their jam-packed weekend schedule please visit their website at www.horsearounddays.com.
2007 Annual Meeting
Article for Emmons County Record for 9th Annual Meeting of NHC
by Shelly Hauge
NHC Board Members pictured are Geoffrey Roehrs, Shelly Hauge, Butch Thunder Hawk, Michelle Warren, Frank Kuntz, Kevin Oien and Leo Kuntz. Not available for the photo were: Dr. Castle McLaughlin, Seth Zeigler, Don Becker and Louann Hart and Ann Record.
Visitors poured into Linton from the far reaches of the country to converge on the Kuntz Nokota Ranch for the Nokota Horse Conservancy's 9th Annual meeting held June 14 - June 17, 2007. States represented included North Dakota (of course), Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Massachusetts, Georgia, Florida, and Washington - with the first group (our Florida friends) arriving a week in advance of the meeting to assist with many of the final preparations.
A Native American drum group and some traditional dancing kept the crowd on their feet at the Horses on the Camp event Thursday evening.
Four full days of activities made for a hectic schedule, but one that everyone enjoyed to the fullest. Thursday started us off with a visit to the Horses on the Prairie Camp - a 4-week day camp for Native American youth. The camp is run by United Tribes Technical College for 3rd through 6th grade children and strives to teach long-term skills in Science and Math by giving them hands on experience with testing soils, plants and water. All this is combined with the Nokota horses as the counselors aim to reconnect these eager students with the horse culture of their ancestors. .... continued ....
(for complete article, click here.)
Fort Robinson History Conference: Our Four-Legged Soldiers
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.
www.NokotaHorseStories.com
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 info@nokotahorse.org 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!!
This year at the 2007 Minnesota Horse Expo......
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.
Stryder, a young Nokota stallion is from Nick & Alicia Teberg's Snowy River Ranch.
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!
Nokota on Display
at Kentucky Horse Park!
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
BREAKING NEWS!! READ ALL ABOUT IT!!!
The Nokota horse is the featured breed and on the cover of Horse Illustrated's current January 2007 issue. The cover photo shows Chief, an incredible traditional Nokota stallion owned by Dale and Holly Offermann of Arlington, WA, in a collected rear at Dale's command. Chief is extremely well-trained, but also unbelievably smart, performing numerous liberty demonstrations at expos and other events throughout the year. The feature article, entitled Pride of the Plains, was written by Kara Stewart and illustrated with many wonderful pictures. It details the chronological timeline of the Nokotas and their survival to this day. The article also sports a "centerfold" - an exceptional photo (by Shawn Hamilton of CLiX Photography) of Sharpie, a red roan traditional stallion out of Lakota Dancer, snaking his large band of mares in the picturesque river pasture. Additional photos for the article were taken and provided by Sharon Fibelkorn and Amy Dragoo.
To read a text-only version of the Horse Illustrated story, click here.
To view a PDF file version of the story's layout in Horse Illustrated click here.
New!! A full PDF version including text is now available. Please be patient, this is a very large file and may take some time to download!
BREAKING NEWS!!
Nokota Horse named
Breyer's 2007 Benefit Model
Nokota Horse, 2007 Benefit Model Limited Edition
(C) Breyer Animal Creations
Nahockey is the INSPIRATION for "Nokota Horse", the new 2007 Breyer Benefit Model. He is a young traditional blue roan Nokota stallion by the ever-imposing Target and out of a mare called Almost Black, both captured in the Theodore Roosevelt Nat'l Park's 1991 roundup. His conformation is quintessential of the Nokota and he is known for being extremely level-headed and protecting his mares at all cost. In his brief history of being a herd stallion, Nahockey has NEVER lost even one mare to another stallion. Nahockey is a wonderful example of the Nokota standard of conformation, coloring and disposition. He is the essence, the character and the spirit of Breyer's 2007 Limited Edition Benefit Model. For more information, please see the Breyer Press Release.
The Nokota stallion Nahockey, 2006.
(click to visit the Breyer Horses website)
Frank Has His Hands Full
Frank Kuntz has had his hands full recently! Actually, he had the distinct privilege of speaking to two elementary school classes during our latest horse delivery trips - one in Madison, GA and the other in Hockessin, DE.
While recently delivering three beautiful Nokota mares to Elizabeth Bell and James Orr of Madison, GA, their son, Clark, asked Frank if he'd be willing to speak to his 5th grade enrichment class at Morgan County Elementary School. Frank was thrilled to oblige - to the delight of Clark's teachers and classmates. The presentation was informational and fun!! And as usual the Q&A portion brought lots of interesting questions to the forefront.
A similar presentation was performed for Oliver Fleischmann's class at Sanford School in Hockessin, DE. Oliver is the son of Nokota horse supporters Blair and Charlie Fleischmann. Oliver's class was celebrating Native American week which made for a perfect fit. A presentation about Nokota horses and their historical importance could not have been more appropriate.
Thank you Clark and Oliver for the part you played in facilitating these educational discussions!!
Equine Affaire 2006
Our annual trek to the great northeast is complete and we've actually lived to tell about it!!
Our new story board tells it all!!
What an incredible experience, once again, at this year's Equine Affaire in W. Springfield, MA. The crowds were huge and SO hungry for information about our rare breed. To our GREAT joy, we were privileged beyond words to have the amazing Heart River in attendance. Heart is a three year old red roan gelding owned by Megan McAndrew and to see him there you'd have thought him to be a well-seasoned expo attendee, when in fact he came straight off the North Dakota prairie exactly one year ago. He thrived on the attention from kids and adults alike and could not have better represented the Nokota breed.
Heart River enjoys the ministrations of several children, all at once!!
There were many repeat attendees who made it a point to stop at the booth and greet us as well as new Nokota owners who popped in to tell us how things are going. This was our very best expo to date and the time spent is rewarded in ways we don't even know yet.
Jill Murray, Brandon Deile, Judy Haight and Jim Mackler man the booth.
A special thanks to Judy Haight and Jim Mackler for their tireless efforts at the booth and for the key role they play in our presence there. Also to Jill Murray for spending her weekend with us, working the crowds and telling her own Nokota story. Megan McAndrew was instrumental in arranging for the arrival and appearance of Heart River, our solo Nokota representative, and stood by his side those long days singing his praises! Brandon Deile was along for the ride and did everything possible to make things easier on everyone - you were priceless, dude! And lastly, our gratitude goes out to Dr. Castle McLaughlin and friends who drove in from Boston to spend the day.
The Nokota & HOA Presentation
At the Kentucky Horse Park
Thanks to all of our friends & supporters for your well-wishes. It worked! Our Kentucky Horse Park presentation was – without a doubt – a blazing success.
left to right: Jamie Hicks on Light My Way, Shawn Ellis on Taos Tascosa, Chris Ellis on Hawk’s Cha-ta, Margaret Odgers on Blue Moon Rising, Danielle Buckheister on Flashdance and Cortnie Yousey on Stairway to Heaven
It was an indescribable experience to represent these horses – both Nokota and Colonial Spanish - horses that have survived against all odds – at a world-class facility like the Kentucky Horse Park. To have this opportunity to show people ‘who these horses are’. We were so proud of them. They were outstanding representatives of their breed.
The solo Nokota performer, Blue Moon Rising.
(Click photo to view video!)
For more pictures and a longer story, see this! To watch a video taken that day, visit google.video.com
They earned every bit of applause they received this weekend. Look for more pictures and stories on www.nokotahorse.org and www.horseoftheamericas.com.
The HOA group – with Flashdance in the lead.
Thanks again for everyone’s support and encouragement.
Sincerely,
Margaret Odgers and Jamie Hicks
The Nokota/HOA organizers of the Kentucky Horse Park presentation
Nokota - Legend of the Badlands
The true and often sad story of wonderful horses of the
native Americans and their long struggle for survival.
This article, written by Margaret Odgers, is featured in the October 2006 issue of The Joy of Horses.
Nokotas Recently Unfurled
in Southern California!!
The first of the Nokota billboards was unfurled on Monday, October 2 in Soledad Canyon and Sierra Hwy (Interstates 5 & 14) in Canyon Country of Santa Clarita, CA replacing Kevin Costner and an ad for his new movie!! It's HUGE and in living color - 14' x 48'!!
A GIGANTIC thank you goes out to NHC supporters Terri Slimmer and Barbara Churchill and their Nokota, Kola. Without their persistence and the aid (and INCREDIBLE generosity) of CBS Outdoor, this project would not have been possible.
The billboards will be on display through December 31, 2006. Never in our wildest dreams would we have envisioned anything like this for the Nokotas and our preservation efforts. We have been SO blessed!
A second billboard, shown here near the Burbank airport, was unveiled recently and is creating massive exposure for the Nokotas. A very special thanks goes out to Page E. Lee of Rochester MN, who captured the very essence of the Nokota horses in the incredible photo used on the billboards.
Nokota and Horse of the Americas at the Kentucky Horse Park
Parade of Breeds - October 28th & 29th
For more information see
September 15th issue of Kentucky Horse Park – HorseNews- Page 6
Chris & Margaret Odgers and family will represent the Nokotas with Moonshine.
Jamie Hicks of South Carolina leads the HOA Presentation with 5 Colonial Spanish horses being exhibited.
This is the first time for both HOA and Nokotas at the Kentucky Horse Park.
Team Nokota! appears at Ludwig's Corner Horse Show on Labor Day weekend 2006
Mother Nature smiled and the clouds and rain gave way as Team Nokota! gathered at the Ludwig's Corner Horse Show grounds in Chester County, PA for it's 3rd annual event. The Nokota Horse Conservancy's exhibit tent looked exceptional with it's colorful new banner, beautiful new storyboard, fantastic Nokota merchandise and lots of brightly colored mums adorning the perimeter. The atmosphere was electrifying and the event was a true celebration - a festive time!
The
Reynold's Blue is ever patient
and kind with his young admirers.
Sunday there were three spectacular Nokotas on hand at the tent for petting and pictures; the horses drawing the crowds like magnets!
Monday was the BIG day as 5 Nokota horses entered the main ring to perform a "versatility" exhibition in front of 2,000 eager spectators. As music filled the main arena, the horses performed to the new expo CD which tells the historical and moving story of the Nokota Horse. There wasn't a dry eye in the house.
Hilary Goff mans the tent,
telling the Nokota story.
What a GREAT team effort!! Special thanks goes to Jill and Geoff Roehrs for organizing the event. Additional thanks to Lea, John and Collin Reynolds along with Shelby for bringing and showing Blue, and Hilary Goff and Mark Mangus for trailering and handling Sunday's "petting horses", Isaac and Dancer. There's nothing like a hands-on experience to make the time memorable. Thanks to Sam Brown and Jill Murray for the great effort put into creating the wonderful new storyboard, Jill Roehrs and Susan Rifkin for hours spent creating to new expo CD, also to the indispensable tent helpers - Susie and Jean McGlinchey, Hilary Goff and Sue Pizzini. And last, but certainly not least, the Team Nokota riders and their magnificent horses: Dorrie Bettle and Mickey Blue Eyes - Eventing (as well as some fun tricks!); Oliver and Charlie Fleischmann riding Nipper and Justice - Fox Hunting (and to Blair for getting them there!); Mark Mangus with Jimmi - Endurance; and Jill Murray riding the charismatic Cody representing Dressage.
2006 Annual Meeting - in Brief
I expect a minor pause in communications while our webmaster is occupied with summer family activities, but please stay tuned near mid-July for many more photos and details about this year's annual meeting.
Briefly however, let me say that after months of planning and build-up, the NHC's 8th annual meeting came and went in what felt like a heartbeat. Visitors from all around the country traveled great distances to get a first-hand look at what our organization is all about.
We have been so richly blessed with such a diverse group of supporters who want to help in so many unique and different ways. And what a profound impact it makes on our visitors to be able to see the horses in person and to understand so completely why we do what we do.
Our heartfelt thanks and gratitude go out to all those who chose to attend this particular meeting, lending support, confidence and credibility to our cause and purpose. May it suffice to say that we wouldn't be where we are today without those of you who have supported us all along the way, some from long ago and many others more recently. Our appreciation for your gifts and support in all forms will assist us through tough times to come, I'm sure.
Maybe there is something about a full moon. . . Remembering Hammer
by Seth Zeigler
One of Leo Kuntz’s best friends, one truly like him and with whom he could see eye to eye, Hammer, is dead.
Once known as Spud Bodean, he had been a favorite of Leo’s ever since the new yet brazen foal walked right up to him in the pasture. Leo sold him as a colt to a friend for use in the mountains, but later bought him back, and he had been his pride ever since. He renamed him Hammer after finding a Native American hammer in the pasture he was fencing for him, a discovery that Leo took as a good omen.
Hammer loved to overcome the minor challenges presented by fences and corrals of all kinds, and he was very good at it, but he was a great stud and saddle horse. Easy going, kind, athletic, alert, intelligent, and tough; he was exactly what Leo first set out to create when he started mixing Nokotas with his ranch horses, long before he knew about their true history. Hammer was the epitome, the apex, of the National Park Cross.
Leo and his family had been gathering good horses wherever they found them for decades before he acquired his first “parkie”, and Hammer’s great-grand-dam, Sioux, was a reservation mare used for Great American Horse races. She was then bred to the Blue Haymaker (a running quarter horse, an incredible stallion who was mostly thoroughbred) to produce Scrap Iron, Hammer’s grandsire. Scrap Iron was then bred to a blue roan park mare, and the daughter of that union to Two Rivers (a powerful blue roan Park stallion with few remaining offspring) to produce Hammer, the horse Leo had always strove for.
Personally, I feel guilty for giving Leo a hard time about Hammer, for telling him things like “quite babying him and just put him in the stud pen with the real stallions”. I really did respect him - it was just that the stud had it all, looks, moves, and brains, and I was jealous. Leo would ride him in parades, to chase horses, for fun, whatever he wanted. And he always behaved so well. No one could resist looking, either, when the shimmering and sculpted Hammer was about. Hammer caught everyone’s attention. As one of Leo’s seasoned cowboy friends said only the day before “Damn nice horse. Old $*%#@^s like us need movers like that.”
Happy hunting, big guy.
Sadly, boldness can be deadly. Hammer impaled himself on the wooden corral, either while jumping out or while fighting a young stud who had been challenging him from the other side. He had about three feet of innards dangling when Leo found him, “a gutted horse for a gut shot man”. We wrapped him up with moist sheets and sped to Bismarck in hopes that he could be saved, but he died on the operating table. The entire time Hammer stood fighting death like a real horse, with wide but kind eyes. He led, loaded, and stood perfectly for everything: cleaning, shots, inserting the IV, to the end. Today the Nokota is worse off.
2006 Minnesota Horse Expo
April 28-30
The Nokota horses were a strong presence at this year's MN Horse Expo. And while there weren’t alot of Nokota horses to represent the breed this year, they still caused quite a stir. It rained the majority of the weekend, but that didn't seem to stop the crowds with standing room only in the barns. The Nokotas participated in the daily Parade of Breeds as well as the breed demonstration and enjoyed the busiest booth in the area. Supporters and interested persons flocked to the booth following the public demonstrations, wanting to learn more about this unique breed. Many expressed interest in purchasing a Nokota, some to start a breeding program, and still others just wanted to know how they could help.
Stryder, a blue roan Blue Moon son and 3 year old stallion from the Snowy River Ranch in MN, displayed his easy-going disposition and grace even as other stallions exercised only 10 feet from his stall. What a great representative for the Nokota breed!! And Felicia and her gaggle of riders were common sights on their Nokota part bloods and pony crosses. The general public was duly impressed by the temperament as well as how well-behaved and broke these horses were.
A huge thanks from the Conservancy goes out to Nick and Alicia Teberg of the Snowy River Ranch (and their Nokota stallion, Stryder), Seth Zeigler, Steve Horner, Sarah Werkmeister and all the friends who helped man the booth and selflessly spent their time and personal resources promoting these horses. Also, special thanks to Felicia Rocholl and her gang who attended the expo with their Nokota part bloods and pony crosses and spent considerable time and energy making the expo a huge success.
The booth was beautifully decorated - thank you Alicia and Felicia! Many brochures were distributed and donations were generous.
In Memorium
Leo Kuntz Jr.
12/04/1921 - 3/19/2006
The patriarch of the Kuntz family - the husband, father, grandfather and great-grandfather as well as the steadfast advocate for his son's (Frank and Leo's) efforts on behalf of the Nokota Horses - has passed from this world. It is with sadness and grief for our family, and yet great relief for Leo, that we say our final good-byes.
There's alot to be said of his life - a life filled with family (both near and far), hard work, horses, great fun, underdogs, wars, love, laughter, and friends. He will be greatly missed!
The Kuntz family has identified the Nokota Horse Conservancy (a non-profit 501(c)3 organization) for any donations you wish to make in Leo's memory.
Contributions made in Leo's memory can be sent to:
Nokota Horse Conservancy
420 S. Broadway
Linton, ND 58552
The Reedy Gallery at Minnesota's Landscape Arboretum features artist Michele Pope Melina and her exhibit, The Color of Light from January 11 - April 3, 2006.
"My desire is to create paintings that evoke an emotional response in all who see them." - Michele Pope Melina
I had the distinct pleasure and opportunity to attend Michele's solo exhibit and reception at the University of Minnesota Landscape Arboretum on Sunday, February 12. It was with deep reverence that I walked that hallowed hallway - viewing Michele's soulful artwork and understanding the beauty that she sees when she paints. What an incredible experience for me!
Michele Pope Melina and Shelly Hauge at The Reedy Gallery Opening for the show, "The Color of Light".
I was so pleased to view the eight wonderful Nokota paintings on display and to hear her brief speech thanking the Nokota Horse Conservancy and the Kuntz family for our preservation efforts, the sacrifices that have been made, and for giving her the opportunity to capture these unique animals on film and on canvas.
I expect we'll see much more of Michele and her husband Rob as they return (hopefully often) to the North Dakota prairie and the Kuntz Ranch.
Welcome Visitors!
Welcome to our newly redesigned web site and thank you for your interest in learning about the Nokota horses. Our mission was recently profiled in an article titled "Saving Nokota Horses" in the January 2006 issue of Cowboys & Indians Magazine. And if you enjoy reading, you'll want to pick up a copy of Sara Gruen's new novel, "Flying Changes," which features a blue roan Nokota named Smoky Joe.
If you'd like to meet some real Nokotas, and learn how and why we are working so hard to save them, please consider attending our annual meeting, scheduled for the weekend of June 17th, 2006 at the Kuntz Ranch near Linton, ND. This is the perfect opportunity to educate yourself about the Nokotas and to meet many other like-minded individuals from across the country. It's great company, tasty food, beautifully green grass, perfect weather, newborn foals and exciting pasture tours — you won't want to miss this! Call soon for your motel accommodations in Linton — Don's Motel — (701) 254–5457 and Willows Motel — (701) 254–4555. Additional details will be communicated as they are confirmed.
Horse of Americas Registry
Blue Moon Rising, a traditional Nokota gelding owned by Margaret Odgers, has become the first Nokota admitted to the Horse of the Americas registry. The Horse of the Americas is an organization devoted to promoting and preserving horses of Spanish ancestry. Registration is predicated on inspection, and the organization states that "only horses of exceptional Colonial Spanish type will be considered for inclusion" (www.horseoftheamericas.com). Blue Moon Rising was sired by Blue Moon, whose image is featured on NHC mousepads. Thanks to Margaret for taking the initiative to apply, and congratulations on this historic first.
