Color wins if your Appaloosa is part of the Appaloosa Excellence
Program (APEX) color program, which rewards colored Appaloosas
competing against other breeds at open shows. For Honkin Hunter,
his win in the 2-year-old hunt seat class at the Just For
Pleasure show in Perry, Georgia.
The blanketed sorrel gelding was fresh out of his first World
Championship Appaloosa Show, where Jennifer Carter purchased
him from Char-O-Lot Ranch. “I had an all-around horse I had
bred and raised that contracted EPM and was euthanized in
October 2008,” Jennifer says. “I was looking for a replacement
hunter mount, so I contacted Char-O-Lot.”
When Jennifer met “Tonka,” it was his movement and color that
made him perfect for her. “He has a wonderful attitude,” she
adds. Jennifer looked into the possibility of earning money
through the stallion service program at the Just For Pleasure,
but it wasn’t in the cards. Then she found out about the APEX
program, and made the decision to send Tonka to the Just For
Pleasure less than a month before the show.
Nancy Sue Ryan rode Tonka to his victory in the class, having
also ridden him while at the World Show. His win left Jennifer
speechless. “To be able to compete with all breeds and have
an App come out on top in an open class is outstanding for
our breed,” she says. “It shows how competitive the Apps have
become.”
Honkin Hunter competed against five other horses, including
All-American Quarter Horse Congress 2-year-old hunter under
saddle champion Country Blazing.
As for Tonka, the future looks bright. “He’s very laid back
and willing to learn,” says Rusty Miller, trainer at Spring
Meadow Farms and Tonka’s new trainer. “As radically good-legged
as he is, he can go on and do well at other open futurities.”
Jennifer plans on showing the gelding in non-pro events, with
Rusty in the irons for open events. The APEX color program
rewards Appaloosas with discernable Appaloosa coat patterns
competing at select events throughout the industry, including
the Just For Pleasure, NCHA open futurity, Rolex Kentucky
Three-Day event and several others.
For more on the program, visit www.appaloosa.com
and click Show.
