March 2011

A few thoughts....

Since I was unable to make the 2010 Awards Banquet last weekend (thanks to the “lovely” stomach bug going around), I want to send a great big PAT ON THE BACK to the Awards Committee for their dedication in pulling off the banquet. I also want to send a great big, gynormous “HEE-HAW” out to everyone that participated in 2010 promoting these wonderful animals! I just know we all will do it again in 2011 and reach out and get more people hooked!

Please WELCOME our New Member!

Jacqueline Brown, J & M Farm of Smiths Grove, KY
Jacqueline.brown785@topper.wku.edu

We will chat again soon!

Diana

Spring Meeting - Saturday March 19th

TDA’s Spring Meeting will be held on Saturday, March 19^th at 4pm (as voted and passed by members during the Fall Annual Meeting.)  The meeting will take place at the Ag-Expo Park  1415 Long Lane Franklin, TN.

Please submit any subjects for discussion to Diana Poole (tda.president@gmail.com) by Wednesday, March 9^th.

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ALLEARZ Tiny Thumbelina's Tale-for ALL Ears

by Lynn Pallota

December 28, 2010 was a cold, but sunny day. I went outside to do my usual chores and checked on all the donkeys-everyone was where they belonged, and content. No one was due to foal, until at least the end of Jan. and all was well.

That afternoon I took a walk outside, and decided to go check on the two jennets in a front field. One of them had had her foal, on Nov. 19, and the other one was due the end of January. Both were in the field grazing peacefully. When I walked into the field, the jennet that had not foaled yet (due the end of Jan.) came walking over to me. She instantly, without any warning or previous signs, lay down next to where I was, and started to push!  Within 10 minutes, she had a little (and I DO mean little) foal on the ground! This was her first foal, and it was a shock to me-and to her! I made sure the foals head was out of the sack then I ran as fast as is possible for me- to the barn and got some towels and the iodine. After helping mama dry the foal and iodine -ing the navel, I carried the foal to the barn and mama followed. There was a nicely bedded and clean stall so that they could have bonding time alone.

Thumbelina in December

Well, as all Tennessee residents know, this has been one of the worst winters for nasty rain, and snowy weather ever.  So that day, December 28^th,  the day little ALLEARZ Tiny Thumbelina came in to the world at 16 inches tall, and  only 10 pounds -  was to be the only sunny day, for her first month of life.

 I worried about her, checked on her hourly, and tried to bottle feed, as I was worried that having given birth way too early, and being a first-timer, that mom would not have enough(or any) milk. That little gal absolutely refused to drink out of the bottle, no matter how many times I tried, or even suck the nipple!  Mama received several doses of Domperidone, and I had powdered colostrum, which I managed to get into Thumbelina with a syringe. Then Probiotics. Every time I went out to check on them, the little tiny gal was standing up. She was a stubborn little thing and I believe that she had made up her mind at birth, that SHE was here for a reason, and SHE was absolutely going to stick around.

On Thumbelina's first and second visits to her veterinarian, she rode in the front seat and waited in the waiting room, with the dogs and cats. She stood there and was totally comfortable with it all. At that second visit, she was 16 1/2" tall, and she weighed 18 pounds.  Obviously, her mother was doing a fine job!

 Each day, she was a little stronger, though it took a month before she tried to run-just a few steps.

 She is the first-born "child" of her mom Tina, and her sire, Hickory Hills Zig Zag! She is a spotted little gal, just like her dad, and such a cutie!

Thumbelina on March 2nd

Today (March 2, 2011) she had her hooves trimmed for the third time-but this time, she had a "big girl" trim, actually standing up, instead of me holding her in my arms, for the farrier! She had her shots today, and was microchipped and she is two months and two days old, 19" tall, and she weighed 31 pounds! She is still a tiny girl, but SHE thinks she is big and she has attitude! She bosses the boy who was born November 19th! She still rides to the vet in the front seat of the truck.  Thumbelina had -and has - grit and determination and is the "little engine that could" and she did!  That is really a "cheers for ears!"

Mule Day - MINI MANIA is April 2nd

Are you ready?? How will the weather be? Let’s hope it is as nice as it was last year!  Go to: http://muleday.org/?p=203 for details.

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The Path to the Awards Banquet

by Theresa Puckett

Wow, we actually made it! This year’s award ceremony read something like an “action thriller”. It began in early November… I started trying to contact the lady that we had been using the last several years for our plaques, only to find out that she no longer worked there and the new owner had no idea how to do them. So, I am now standing there with my pants down trying to figure out what we were going to do. Franticly, we started looking for an alternative for the plaques, but was finding it difficult to stay within our budget. Then we found a lady that could do sublimation (a type of printing for the plaques) but had never done one with photos before… but said she would like to give it a try.  So we sent her a design, she printed it, and it looked great.   To help keep the price of the plaques in budget, the awards committee designed the plaques.

Things were looking up.  The points were tallied, photos were sent in, the date was set and a place was booked. All seemed to being going well then BAM! We found out that the place had double booked and we got bumped. So we were then faced with the question of a different date or place. After talking to several members to see what would work best it was decided to try to find a different place and keep the date. We started calling around trying to find another place and most were booked already. Finally after talking to about a dozen places we located a meeting room and booked it. You would think at this point all was good but, NO.  I got a phone call Friday night about 6 PM, the awards are the next day, and the storm the night before had damaged the roof and the room we had booked had gotten flooded. They wanted to know if we wanted to go ahead or cancel.  After banging my head against the wall for a few minutes I called them back.  They had been working on the room all day and assured me that they felt that it would be fine in time for our meeting but it was our call. So we went with it and everything turned out great.

Front Row (L to R) Zach Puckett, Kay Allen, Shyanne Lopp, Laura George, Lydia Spears, Theresa Puckett
Back Row (L to R) Kandi Wilhoit, Katrina Fleener, Dennis Vonderfecht, Dena Wilson & Travis Henderson

Congratulations winners! 

Show Awards:

Grand Champion: Crooked Creek’s Bosco

Res. Grand Champion: Crooked Creek’s Beaujolais

Champion Youth:  Katie Randall

Res. Champion Youth: Shyanne Lopp

Champion Halter Jack: Country Music's Rusty Weir

Res. Champion Halter Jack: KKR Stroke of Midnight and Farmstead's William Blount

Champion Halter Jennet: Hill Co Mini's Lexus

Res. Champion Halter jennet: Farmstead's Chessie

Champion Halter Gelding: Wit's End Tumbleweed

Res. Champion Halter Gelding: Farmstead's James Otis Watson

Champion Halter Mammoth: J. B. Royal Alexandria

Champion In-Hand Performance Jack: Crooked Creek’s Bosco

Champion In-Hand Performance Jennet: Crooked Creek’s Beaujolais

Res. Champion In-Hand Performance Jennet: Legendary's Heart's Wide Open

Champion In-Hand Performance Gelding: God's Little Acre Farm Dan

Res. Champion In-Hand Performance Gelding: HHAA Valiant Diego

Champion Harness Jack: Crooked Creek’s Bosco

Champion Harness jennet: Crooked Creek's Beaujolais  

Champion Harness Gelding: HHAA Valiant Diego

Res. Champion Harness Gelding: CCC Love Bug

Champion Spotted Color: KKR Merlin

Res. Champion Spotted Color: Ma & Pa's Antonia

Champion Solid Color: God's Little Acre Farm Stormy

Res. Champion Solid Color: Country Music's Rusty Weir

Champion Best Matched Pair: Crooked Creek Bosco & Beaujolais

Res. Champion Best Matched Pair: HHAA Valiant Diego/Circle C Radar

Non-show Awards:

Kerri Little Memorial Rookie of the year: Dena Wilson

Mike Pallota Memorial Ambassador of the breed: Champion: Heavenly Snickers

                                                                                          Res. Champion: J&E Ezra

Martha Wilhoit Memorial Driving Award: Champion: Heavenly Snickers

                                                                            Res. Champion: Assphalt Acres Good Tipper

Cheers for Ears Pet Day – Saturday 5/7

Lydia Spears is ironing out the plans for Hohenwald’s SECOND ANNUAL CHEERS FOR EARS PET DAY. It is on the clubs event calendar and as she gets more info – we will update you.


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