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This is a special time of year for family and friends. Every family has its traditions. As the families grow and age the traditions are sometimes handed down from generation to generation but other times new traditions develop. Katrina has started a new family tradition; it has been going on for several years now (unfortunately). My idea of a tradition is a roaring fire in the fireplace with a hot apple cider by my side, my cat in my lap and Christmas Carols playing softly in the background.
Katrina, on the other hand, would rather bundle us up like Eskimos, hang Christmas Stockings on poor defenseless little donkeys like they were some portable fireplace mantle and then head out to some little Tennessee town and walk for miles in a Christmas Parade. Most participants in such parades are in trucks pulling floats. Some of the more adventuresome of the participants will ride in convertibles with the tops down and the heaters turned on high. There are usually other animals in the parades, big animals, horses; animals that people ride! Now our little critters have short legs and donkeys tend to want to move rather slowly. These are deliberate animals who like to think things through and not be rushed. A strange place with weird people lined up on both sides of the street, horses all around, bands playing and candy being tossed to screaming little kids dashing about does little to encourage the average donkey to keep on keeping on.
Our slow pace usually means trying to start in the middle of the parade and hope we don’t end up at the end of the parade before the parade ends! The last thing I want to do is be walking donkeys down main street watching the parade pull out of site with an angry 18 wheeler truck driver who has been sitting in stopped traffic for some parade on my ass’s ass!
We have lots of donkeys and it is a great new tradition, come visit us next year and we will put you in the parade!
The article below was published in the July 8, 2011 Shelbyville Times-Gazette. The Celebration donkey and mule competition is held in Shelbyville, TN every year and is one of the BIG events of the year. To read the article simply click on the image and it will enlarge to a readable size.
Ok, forgive me! This isn’t a miniature donkey or any other animal from our farm but it is one of ours! We don’t just have animals we also are collectors of some fine rare automobiles. Katrina and I were fortunate enough to be asked if our 1965 Thelma and Louise style Thunderbird could be used for a commercial. We said yes, but when I showed up on set with the car I was blown away at all the security and star motor homes on the set.
Everyone you see in the video was on set with the exception of the “Donald”.
Forgive me for my transgression away from the Miniature Donkeys but thought you might like to see the video that opened the CMT Awards with Taylor Swift, Shania Twain, Kid Rock, Ron White and Kenny Rogers. Katrina and I were thinking of selling the TBird after owning it for 10 years but think maybe we will keep it a little longer. Enjoy our car’s 10 minutes of fame.
Our Saluki, Bark & Dives Sophia Haj of Khiva (bred in Japan by Kumiko Mogi) and out of Rafi (BIS Winner, Specialty Winner, Ch. Baklava’s Rafi Rasil of Khiva) attained 1/2 of her points towards her Championship and then not shown for two years. She easily attained her remaining points in three weekends (Nashville, Louisville and Perry, GA shows). She was awarded her 2nd Major at the highly competitive Louisville weekend (only shown 2 days of the circuit) and finished in Perry, GA (shown only 2 days). Below is a win photo from Louisville. See our other Salukis at http://www.khiva.net
This past weekend we took a few Donkeys to Mule Days and had so much fun! This event has been going on for decades and brings in people from all over the area as well as from all over the Country. It attracts primarily Mules ranging from Miniatures to HUGE draft Mules. There is a parade through downtown Columbia and mules of all sizes pulling wagons of every possible configuration. There are also riding mules with spectacular tack.
The shows take place at the Maury County Park with the atmosphere of a County Fair. Taking place early in spring in TN ensures a variety of weather over the multi-day event. Most of the real die hard participants camp on-site with open camp fires, riders on mule back and young children everywhere. However, as the evening wears on the smoldering fires and darkness spiked with beer drinking mule riding cowboys creates a party atmosphere more like the infield of a NASCAR race at Talladega!
The Mule Days Celebration includes an event, Mini Mania, for the miniature Mules and Donkeys! The day was beautiful (temperatures in the 70′s) which brought in a large number of spectators. It was interesting to see both the mules and donkeys showing and performing side by side. We don’t get that at our regular donkey events.
We showed at the Mini Mania event (Miniature Donkeys and Mules):
Legendary’s Ginger Rogers
2nd Halter Weanlings/Yearlings (very large class)
Legendary’s Hearts Wide Open
5th In Hand (she is technically “green” for In-Hand ) Class of 15
Not exactly a topic for the farm site, but WOW!!!! May 1st and 2nd, 2010, Nashville and the surrounding areas experienced a 1,000 year flood damaging many renowned landmarks, destroying many businesses and leaving 100s homeless.
In response to those people still struggling from the destruction from the floods, Garth Brooks decided to have a benefit concert in Nashville with 100% of proceeds going back into the communty. Within minutes the tickets sold out. Garth than added 8 more shows which were all sold out within hours. Last night, we attended the only evening weekend concert and MAN DID GARTH DELIVER AN AWESOME SHOW!
Garth performed many of his classics (The Thunder Rolls, Rodeo, The Dance, The Beaches of Cheyenne, Callin’ Baton Rouge, Friends in Low Places, etc.) and even sat down for one song to listen to the audience sing back the lyrics to him. Everyone was on their feet for the entire event. He included his lovely wife, Trisha Yearwood in a wonderful duet.
The entire evening was magical, the lighting was fabulous, the band was superb, the stage was set-up in a manner for maximum visibility and Garth’s voice was as clear, strong and crisp as ever. The concert was being filmed for our troops overseaes which made the event so much more special. GARTH AND TRISHA, YOU ARE A TREASURE AND NASHVILLE THANKS YOU FOR YOUR GIFT TO HELP THOSE THROUGH AN UNPRECEDENTED FLOOD.
May 1st and 2nd of 2010 will be remembered by everyone living in Middle Tennessee. We experienced a 1,000 year flood with 19 inches of rain in 2 days. Landmarks such as The Grand Old Opry, Country Music Hall of Fame, the Schermerhorn (our classical music hall), various honkey-tonks, downtown Nashville and The Opryland Hotel obtained extensive flood damage. Damages are expected to exceed $1.0 Billion. Hundreds lost their homes, hundreds of businesses received significant damage, livestock lost and 21 lives were lost! Nashvillians rolled up their sleeves and helped their neighbors!
After $185.0 million in rehabilitation, our Spectacular Orpryland Hotel has reopened for the Holidays. Enjoy the following Holiday photos of the newly-remodeled Opryland Hotel
Grand Champion Jennet 2010 Shelbyville – “The Celebration”
Her Photo is below:
Below is Legendary’s Hearts Wide Open and Kandi Willhoit receiving 5th Place in “In Hand Trail” Green at The Celebration. CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!
KKR Stroke of Midnight (despite being naughty in the arena) received a 5th Place in Halter at The Celebration and 4th Place in the ACOSA show. A few candid photos below:
We had so much fun walking four of our Miniature Donkeys (dressed up in their patriotic outfit) in the Marshall County, TN 4th of July Parade. After all of us (people and donkeys) walked in excess of 2 miles, we were pretty exhausted!!!!
Below is Macy Lee in her outfit. She even had a candidate running for Congress (Democrat) seek us out to take a photo!
