Manitoba Appaloosa Club

KEN BRIDGEMAN

In the mid 1960’s, Ken Bridgeman made a life-changing decision. He sold his dairy herd and decided to re-invest in horses and join the Equine Ranching industry in Manitoba . After acquiring 19 horses, he bought a mare at a horse sale in foal to an Appaloosa stallion. The resulting blanket-marked colt attracted a lot of attention, and this interest by other horsemen encouraged Ken to purchase the leopard Appaloosa stallion British Chieftain’s Tonto ApHCC #2379 from Saskatchewan. This was the first in a series of Appaloosa stallions acquired for his ranch near Rapid City , Manitoba , including Oudone’s Chinook, Wyalta Yo Patch ApHCC #363, Zip’s Top Drop ApHCC #10665, and Tim’s Top Secret. Ken also purchased the mare Sister Kate ApHCC # 6490 who went on to become a top producer in Ken’s broodmare band, being the dam of Kate’s Valentine, Go Kat Go, Ima Doctor and Doc’s Little Brother. In 1984, Ken purchased the yearling colt Miracle Moon ApHCC #24393, with the intent of breeding easily trainable Appaloosas suitable for Youth, Amateur or Open competition. His success in siring such offspring as Timtress Moon, Moon’s Slicker, and Moon’s Sweet One helped Miracle Moon attain Supreme Sire status.

The Bridgeman’s KJ5 Ranch attracted buyers for registered Appaloosas from across Canada , the United States and overseas. An active member of the Appaloosa Horse Club of Manitoba, Ken served as a director and was president for 6 years. He was also a director for the Manitoba/Northwest Ontario region in 1981-1982 at the National level, and was Vice President of the ApHCC in 1982. In addition, Ken has chaired the OMB and Breed Improvement Committee, the Racing Committee, and the Youth Committee. A strong supporter of the 4-H movement, Ken made his riding arena available to 4-H Horse Club members whenever it was needed. Raising 5 children with his wife Jane, Ken now has 12 grandchildren, most of them involved with horses, and three of whom competed at the Canadian National Appaloosa Show in Brandon , Manitoba in 2004.

MIRACLE MOON

Inducted in 2007

Miracle Moon was bred by Darryl & Donna Blessum, Willow City, North Dakota.  He was born on March 21^st, 1983.  In March of 1984, Ken Bridgeman of Rapid City, Manitoba purchased the son of Mr. Top Moon.  Ken and his sons Kirk, Kevin and Kelly had gone to look at the Blessum’s horses but never imagined they would find one that would become the cornerstone of their breeding program.

Miracle Moon stood at the KJ5 Ranch from 1984 to 1999 when he was purchased by son, Kirk and daughter-in-law Gail.  Moon stayed at Bridgeman Land & Livestock until 2002.

Moon was broke to ride as a two year old but got too busy breeding mares so was never shown.  It was Moon’s foals that really shone in the show ring.  Moon has a tremendous disposition and personality that was one of a kind.  He was always the first one to greet you in the pasture and could be caught anywhere.  It was this personality and disposition that was passed on to his foals.

Athletic ability was also another trait that Miracle Moon possessed and passed on to all of his offspring.  He was a true Versatile Sire having sired horses with points in every event with the exception of driving.  His foals did not just excel at Appaloosa shows alone.  Many have been shown very successfully at open shows and Rodeos as well as Ranch and Trail Horses.  Two of Moons foals even earned racing points.

Miracle Moon received his Supreme Sire Award in 2002.

Moon sired Versatile Horses with Great Dispositions.

He had a 188 foals registered with the Appaloosa Horse Club of Canada.

Bridgeman Land & Livestock has many of his daughters in their Broodmare band and have had some of his sons as breeding stallions to carry on the Miracle Moon bloodlines.

ROYAL REVIEW

Inducted in 2007

Gerry & Lorna Short raised Royal Review in 1983 and he stood his breeding career at Silver Lake Farm until his death in 2003. His sire was Royal Exhibit -- multiple US National and World Halter Champion, Hi point in the nation in western pleasure and Top 10 trail. His dam, Lady Bonanza, a Reserve World Champion, was by AQHA Champion and leading sire, Coy's Bonanza and out of the great mare, Miss Love Letters by Bright Eyes Brother.

Royal Review had a tremendous show career and was one of those rare horses that was competitive at the top levels and at the same time in both halter and performance as shown by his accomplishments:

·  Reserve World Champion Yearling Stallion, 3x Canadian National Grand Champion Stallion, Canadian National Champion Western Riding, Top 5 Can Nationals in Western Pleasure, HUS, Pleasure Driving and Working Cowhorse, OMB Award in 3 shows

·  The last year he was shown at the Canadian Nationals, he was Reserve Grand Stallion and 3rd in the Superhorse Competition. That same year he was qualified for the Worlds in 4 events but colic surgery ended his show career and he retired to stud.

  Like himself, he sired individuals who were competitive at the National level in both halter and performance. From 1987 to 2003, he sired 95 get who earned dozens of National and Reserve National Championships in halter, pleasure, HUS, reining and pleasure driving.

·  At the time of submission (2007), he was one of only nine horses to receive the SUPREME SIRE AWARD.

Royal Review was a kind, willing horse that loved to be ridden -- he is missed!

GOERS DESIGN

Inducted in 2007

           A dark chestnut blanketed colt was born in 1985 in Langley, British Columba. Sired by the distinguished stallion Goer, his dam was the 1978 World Champion mare Miss Moore Cloud by Hayes Roman Cloud. The highly regarded stallion, Goers Design was originally named “Some Cloud” by his breeders, Jack and Glenna Clark.

            His weanling and yearling photos caught the attention of Kevin and Julie Bridgeman of Binscarth, Manitoba.  In 1987 he ultimately started his trip east to join Kevin and Julie’s equine ranch breeding program. When they finally saw their new purchase they were very satisfied with the young stallion and appreciated the Clarks help in arranging this sale. Julie and Kevin felt a new, more distinctive name was necessary for him and by that afternoon “Some Cloud” had been renamed to Goers Design.

            About a month after arriving in Manitoba, Goers Design started his long and illustrious show career.  He was first shown by the Bridgemans in Red Deer, Alberta at his first ApHCC National Show.  Subsequently, he was shown by Lawrence Hiatt at his first ApHC World Show.  However, in February of 1991, Marilyn and Fred Lindenschmidt of Red River Appaloosas in St Andrews, Manitoba became his new owners after persuading Julie and Kevin to sell him.  Marilyn had been training and showing Goers Design for several years prior to the sale. Marilyn knew from the first time she saw him that there was a special connection between her and this horse.  The next day Kevin delivered him before he could change his mind about selling the stallion.  Kevin and Julie continued to breed their best mares to him over the following years, adding the fillies to their broodmare band and selling the colts for performance prospects.

            Goers Design was not only a wonderful sire, but he also excelled in the show ring and his athletic ability and excellent attitude often impressed many judges. He received his OMB, Supreme Member of the Breed, seven Superior Event Awards, two Supreme Event Awards, eighteen National Championships, twelve Reserve Championships and Top Ten at the World Show in Halter and Performance Events.  Overall, in the ApHCC he earned over eight-hundred national points. In 1997 he was recognized by the ApHCC as a Supreme Sire.  His aptitude made him versatile in everything from halter and pleasure classes to reining and cattle events. Outside the ApHCC he was shown successfully in both English and Western disciplines, winning various division championships, many local show circuits and the Manitoba Heritage Classic program. Marilyn and Goers Design attended almost every National Show held by the ApHCC during their time together and also competed at the ApHC World Show.

            Goers Design was known for his kind heart and ability to perform, but his true legacy was the one-hundred and forty-three foals he sired that were registered with the ApHCC. These offspring are prized for their capacity to perform in a variety of events and their tremendous attitude and intelligence that is often attributed to their father. Many are notable as youth mounts taking their riders from walk/trot divisions up through the different age divisions. His offspring not only excel in ApHCC and ApHC approved shows but are also seen in 4-H, hunter/jumper shows, dressage, horse trials and western shows.  Many have received awards of merit from the ApHCC in Halter and Performance Classes. His get have earned over five thousand points in the ApHCC.  They have been Top Ten in the Nation, Futurity winners, and top earning Incentive Fund winners from the ApHCC and the NAERIC program. However, not all of Goers offspring were used for show purposes rather they were family horses who covered many miles of trail riding and made excellent companions for their owners.  The geldings were prized as mounts because of their wonderful temperaments, so few of his colts were kept as stallions. His fillies were shown widely and many are still kept as broodmares all over Canada. Goers Design had the ability to improve upon himself and the mares he was crossed with. His distinct fine featured head is still noticeable on second generation offspring.  A comprehensive list of his offspring would be too large to include, but some of their names include, Happy Go Lucky, Mighty Designer, Go N Style, GD Call Girl, Exquisite Design, No Guarantees, and Trixter.  Many of these horses can still be seen in competition or became distinguished broodmares producing their own award-winning offspring.

            In 2000 Marilyn and Fred Lindenschmidt decided to sell him to Pemilla Andersson & Hans Witteborn of Hjo, Sweden.  In typical Goer fashion he made no fuss, it was just another kind of horse trailer to ride in.  Annette Bjorkman of Ostahammer, Sweden purchased Goer in 2003.  In Sweden he was shown lightly and sired 10 foals that were registered with the ApHC.  He was able to live his last years in high, grassy pastures with his band of mares. He died in 2006 at the age of twenty-one years, well respected and highly regarded.

Wynne (Winnifred) Aconley

Inducted in 2007. Wynne was a horse lover from a young age.  One of her first horses she recalls was grey Arab mare which she bred to a local Appaloosa stallion; somehow she wound up with a half Arab pinto.  She remembers going south to look for horses with her husband Bert and visiting Cecil Dobbins on his ranch.  Seeing Bright Eyes Brother, although he was an older stallion then was one of the highlights of the visit.  At that time the Dobbins’ herd consisted of quarter horses and Appaloosas that ran together.

When Wynne decided to purchase Appaloosa breeding stock, she preferred to purchase horses from the USA, especially looking for Plaudit and old foundation bloodlines.  Her first stallion was a locally bred horse, Chickasaw Pete, which she sold soon after for a riding gelding.  She imported Might War Man, a 1964 Colorado bred horse.  They also stood Berwyn Buttons.  This stallion was born in Manitoba from a mare Wynne had purchased in foal from Oklahoma.  He produced 27 registered offspring among them, Copper Buttons and Buttons Brown who were shown extensively over their show careers.  Royal Roman was another Oklahoma bred stallion the Aconleys imported and used in their breeding program.

The Aconley family would go south of the border to show horses at Crookston and there she developed her interest in showing horses in the Native Dress classes.  At the time there were a handful of chief’s costumes but no women’s costumes.  After her daughter was born, Wynne spent the winter months over the next years putting together a costume, evenings after the baby was put to bed was the time to work on the beadwork.  She ordered a saddle from a saddle maker in the USA but prior to that time used an old McClellan saddle.  Her beads, shells and other ornaments came from a supplier in New York.  Later on after Wynne no longer owned Appaloosas the costume was sold to Wendy Smythe, but Wynne continued to add items to it and it is currently owned by the McClure family.  Several times it has been the National Champion Ladies Native Dress winner.

Along with her interest in the Appaloosa horse breed, Wynne wanted to see it progress as a recognized breed here in Canada.  Thus she joined with a small group of other interested Appaloosa owners and breeders to form the first of two Manitoba Appaloosa Horse Clubs under the Appaloosa Horse Club of Canada.  As a director of the club, Wynne and the other member directors were mainly interested in promoting and getting the Appaloosa breed established firmly in Manitoba.

Wynne’s home was always open to young people interested in horses, many of these stayed on their farm on Saskatchewan Avenue and later at S. Francois Xavier on the weekends so they could ride and work with the horses.  At times she had her horses shown by a professional trainer, but more often the girls and boys that Wynne took under her wing competed with them.  Many of the equestrians of the Winnipeg area got their start on the backs of her Appaloosa horses and later developed their own diverse interests.

Although life circumstances changed, Wynne has never lost her interst in the Appaloosa breed, often driving miles across the country to watch her favourite breed compete at National Shows.  Her favourite classes are the halter classes but watching the Native Dress classes is just as important to her.  She can always be counted on when anyone needs information about the Native Dress requirements and how to put costume together.  

Without the vision of Wynne and other interested owners who started the Appaloosa Horse Club in Manitoba, supported the Appaloosa Horse Club of Canada and the breeding of Appaloosa horses, our association would not have advanced as it has over the years.  Every province has their builders of the breed; we wish to acknowledge Wynne Aconley as an important part of Manitoba’s Appaloosa Horse Club.