September / October 2012

A few thoughts……

•  Annual meeting is November 3rd 3:30 PM at the Farm Bureau building Shelbyville, TN. Officer election will be held at this meeting. For more info on the agenda contact Lydia Spears Phone  #931-796-4920 or email: miniacre@bellsouth.net  
• It's not to early too pay your 2013 dues.

2012 Awards

It is time to tally your points. There are several different awards programs and not all are related to showing. So let’s talk a little about the award programs.

SHOW AWARDS PROGRAM:

There is a $10 fee per donkey. Fee must be paid prior to a show for that show’s points to count for the 2012 show season. At the end of the show season, you may only count four (4) Tennessee shows for points. Exhibitor will choose which four (4) shows he/she wishes to count. This year due to the lack of halter and or color classes at some shows starting with the 2012 show season exhibitors will be allowed to choose four (4) shows for halter, four (4) shows for color and 4 shows for performance. They do not need to be the same 4 shows. There is a champion and reserve in all categories. There are 8 awards in halter, In-hand and In-Harness which are broken down by sex and one for Standard/Mammoth in each category. Also new this year is an award for Adult Performance Duo this award is for the donkey which was shown by the same handler for 4 shows this will be 2 awards a Champion and Reserve and will not count towards Grand Champion.  There are two color awards, one for solid and one for spots, a best matched pair (must be the same two donkeys) and a Grand Champion and Reserve Grand Champion. In addition to these awards there are two youth awards (the donkey being shown by youth must be signed up). This program runs from Jan 1, 2012 thru Oct 31, 2012. Each member is responsible for turning in their own points! The cutoff date for turning in your points is Nov 12, 2012. The rules and tally sheets for these awards can be found at http://www.tennessee-donkeys.com/HighPointAwardRules.html

MIKE PALLOTA MEMORIAL AMBASSADOR OF THE BREED AWARD:

This is an annual award for any event, in any state, that promotes the breed (outside of the show ring). This award is open to all members and there is no sign up fee. Parades, exhibitions, social events, plays, pet days, etc count. Only one event per day will count unless the second event is totally different than the first. Exp: Parade counts 1 point but later that day you do a driving or jumping exhibition that would count separately, but a breed parade two or three times the same day is only 1 point. Group visits, such as schools or other groups to educate or promote the breed also count. This award will run from Jan 1, 2012 to Dec 31, 2012. Deadline for turning in these points is Jan 7, 2013.

KERRI LITTLE MEMORIAL ROOKIE AWARD:

This award is open to a “novice” person or farm. The winner would be the farm or person that has just started participating in our clinics, exhibitions, parades, shows, or any event that promotes our club/breed and each event is worth 1 point. A person/farm is considered a rookie for two years, unless they win the Rookie Award their first year, which will then make them ineligible for this award the next year. There is no sign up fee for this award. The award will run from Jan 1, 2012 to Dec 31, 2012. Deadline for turning in these points is Jan 7, 2013.

The TDA awards committee is responsible for the above awards. If you have any questions or need copies of any of the point tally sheets, please contact one of us. Dayle Haworth minidonks@united.net 931-364-3715, Theresa Puckett ccrdonkeys@comcast.net 615-230-7260 or Kay Allen kayy@united.net .

MARTHA WILHOIT MEMORIAL DRIVING AWARD :

This award was named after Martha because she loved to drive, so this award is for the members who have her passion for driving. There is a $5 sign up fee per donkey which must be paid prior to counting any driving time. This award is tailored with an emphasis on driving. A member that signs up for this award, is expected to keep a driving log of the time spent at the reins, which includes ground driving. The only driving time that a member can’t claim is time in the show ring. This award runs from Jan 1, 2012 to Dec 31, 2012. Deadline for turning in your driving log is Jan 7, 2013. If you have any questions about this award please contact Lydia Spears, Ph #931-796-4920 or email: miniacre@bellsouth.net .

CARSON CARROLL MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP AWARD:

This is a $250 scholarship based on merit awarded to our youth members as they prepare for college or technical school. This award must be asked for and be accompanied by the member’s high school transcript through the third semester prior to graduation. Any member that wants to contribute to this award fund is welcome to do so. If you have any questions or have a youth member that wants to apply for this award, please contact Lydia Spears, Ph # 931-796-4920 or email miniacre@bellsouth.net .

Gallatin News - Mule Day

"Gallatin miniature mules and donkeys feaured at Westmoreland Mule Day" By Randy Cline

            Picture in your mind how dogs are put through agility drills on nationally televised dog show competitions, then replace the dogs with miniature mules and donkeys and you’ll have a good idea what’s going to happen in the Mini Mule and Donkey Show at the Westmoreland Mule Day activities set for Sept. 24-30.

            Over 100 entries are expected to compete in a variety of categories beginning at 9 a.m. on Saturday, Sept. 29 at the Westmoreland Expo Center.  Mini Mules cannot measure more than 40 inches from the base of the neck to the ground and Mini Donkeys cannot measure more than 36 inches.

            “This is an entertaining show; much different from a mule pull or other mule shows,” said longtime area resident Theresa Puckett of Crooked Creek Ranch in Gallatin.  “The donkeys will go through an obstacle course and they go through a jumping course; they do halter, pole bending, pleasure driving and snigging, where the donkeys walk through a course while dragging a small log.

            “One of the more popular classes is coon jumping.  People would buy mules to coon hunt because they are more sure-footed and they would have to jump a fence when they came to one.  With the minis, they have to come to a complete stop and then jump.  The Tennessee Donkey ASSociations record jump is 39 and one-half inches.

            Puckett’s obsession with Minis started in 1996 while visiting Kentucky.  “We passed a farm and I saw one spotted miniature donkey and I fell in love,” she said.  “He was for sale and I bought him.  His name was Patches and he was my best friend.”

            Puckett began appearing in parades with shows with Patches and began competing around 1998.  “There was a national association show in Shelbyville and that was going to be my first show,” she said.  After taking a crash course to learn how to properly show Patches, she ended up with a second place finish.  She was hooked.  Next, she traveled to a show on the Kentucky-Ohio border where Patches took first place in her class.  “My husband said I squealed and jumped two feet off the ground.  We’ve been going to shows ever since.”

            Her herd of minis continued to grow and today she has 16 mini donkeys and one mini mule, as well as three riding mules, one of which is a four-time Grand National Champion.  Two of her mules were pictured with an article in Horse Illustrated magazine.

            In fact, Puckett has been a chief advocate for inclusion of minis and is a founding member of the Tennessee Donkey ASSociation she helped form in 2002.  She has been an officer of the organization since its inception.

            Shows are held throughout the year and scores compiled over each donkey’s four best shows to determine High Point Show awards.  “My donkey, Crooked Creek’s Bosco, has been Grand Champion donkey every year since 2004,” Puckett said.  “Since 2008, the Reserved Grand Champions has been my son’s donkey Crooked Creek’s Beaujolais.”

            Showing donkeys is a family affair with Puckett’s 20-year old son Zachary competing against his mother.  Her husband Brian serves as photographer and chauffer but also shows the animals on occasion.