So many superbly matched partnerships have occurred over the past months since our last Newsletter update!  Where to begin?  To name just a few this spring….

• Kathleen Berlick of Fort Myers, FL & AR Ill Bespeckled
• Kathleen & Larry Mitchell of Lovettsville, VA & AR Colonel Gadgeteer
• Mike DeCristoforo of Bradley, CA & AR One Smart Lullaby
• Kris Adamson of Lompoc, CA & AR Aglows Smart Rio
• Brenda Ladd of Bridgewater, NH & AR Firecracker
• John Ladd of Bridgewater, NH & AR Boondocks Vision
• Lynn Wasser of Weed, CA & AR Sierra Chex
• Malinda Taylor of Connersville, IN & AR Illbea Skylioness
• Kimberly Gair of Menlo Park, CA & AR Snow White Bo
• Theresa & Mike Morgan of Fair Oaks, CA & AR Powder My Chex
• Jody Pagliuco of Naperville, IL & AR Especials Fire
• Patricia Collier of Leeds, UK & AR Sonitas Revision
• David Cordisco of Allison Park, PA & Reveille Bingo
• Jerilyn Caldwell of Midlothian, TX & AR Snowblonde

Jody Pagliuco & friends

Several wonderful partnerships have occurred as of our last posting!

AR One Especial Time

Carol & Linda Arledge of Winters, TX purchased AR One Especial Time, aka Blue. Blue had been through our preschool program then had gone on to David & Jody Ellises ranch to be started under saddle. Carol & Linda love to ride and work on their family’s 5th generation ranch.

AR Ill Be Powderific

AR Scootin Sassy

AR Scootin Sassy has the perfect new partner in Catie Casentini of Wilton, CA. Sassy went on after preschool to be started under saddle by Maurice Thibault, then on to Cezanne DeCristoforo who had the perfect student for her. Catie loves to trail ride with her family and appreciates Sassy’s calm demeanor.

AR Powder River Smoker

Randy & Cindy Harris, Tara & Trevor Carter’s parents, recently purchased four Atwood Ranch broodmares to expand their herd. All four are in foal so Spring will bring some beautiful new Atwood bred foals to their pastures!

AR London Skyline

Parelli Professionals Peter Fuller & Chris Cook recently partnered on a 2010 gelding named AR London Skyline, a Mr Skyline Peppy offspring. Their plan is after his completion of our preschool program, they’ll start him as a two-year-old with the hope of developing a reined cowhorse prospect for the future.

Rebecca Carroll has a new Atwood partner named Another Reality Chex.  The young lady from Boulder Creek, CA was participating in a clinic with Parelli Professionals Jody and David Ellis when she and her Mom, Stephanie, mentioned their desire to find a new partner for Rebecca.  The Ellis’s mentioned an AR young horse they’d nicknamed Lady who would be perfect for Rebecca. 

Jody and Dave are part of the Atwood Associates program where qualified professionals take our two-year-olds, who have completed the Parelli Preschool Program as yearlings.  They continue along with their development and start them under saddle.  Lady has been in their care since this past Spring.

Rebecca and Stephanie headed to LS Ranch and it was love at first sight!  Stephanie commented that she’d need a wider lens on her camera to accommodate the smile on Rebecca’s face as she rode by.  Rebecca has completed one FastTrack and is headed off to do another this summer before applying to the Extern Program.  Rebecca said, “I am looking for a partner that will be willling and excited to go with me wherever my Parelli journey takes me!”  And that she got!  Congratulations to you both.

photo by Molly Moore

Parelli Professional Bill Avery of Lacenter, WA saw AR CASH N CHEX at the Parelli Performance Summit in September and decided then and there he couldn’t live without him!  Timmy has been an eye catcher at every demonstration he’s participated in including Redmond, Fresno and Pagosa Springs.  He was nicknamed “Tiny Tim” as a baby (apropos in light of the coming holiday season!) because of his delicate size and big presence.  Bill came down to the ranch to pick up his new yearling in the middle of a wild and wooly, rain and wind storm - but as expected Timmy loaded up like a champ!  Preschool trailer loading skills have practical applications in everyday life.  Bill was kind enough to transport home a weanling named AR COLONELS VOLLEY for Jackie Hunt who lives just a few hours from him.  Congratulations to both Bill and Jackie on their new partners!

Pat announced at the Performance Summit in CO last weekend that AR Especial, the double registered gelding who is an own son of his namesake (our stallion Especial), has a new life partner.  AR Especial was originally a gift from Tom Atwood to Pat after the loss of Revolution.  AR Especial has been a steadfast demo horse for the past couple years on the Parelli Tour Team, in addition to being a part of the Parelli Performance Team in cutting, reining and working cowhorse events.  His new owner, Carlos Osorio, owns The Horse First Farm in Brooklyn, WI.  Congratulations to Carlos and best of luck in all your endeavors together!

Margit Deerman, Parelli Professional from San Diego, CA recently acquired her own “King of Rock n Roll” in the form of her new Atwood Ranch partner, ‘Elvis’!  This handsome palomino gelding was turning heads from the time he was born — not in Memphis but in Orland.  Elvis’s registered name is AR One Smart Alibi.  Sired by One Smart Peppy and out of a mare named AR Im Convinced, Elvis has both cutting and reining in his blood.  Margit is eager to tap his potential and says, “I am excited to see his progress as we continue through our journey together.”  For more on Margit’s story see the Testimonials page of our website. 

LETITIA GLENN & AR CHEX FIRST FLASH

Letitia and Art Glenn of Durango, CO, who have been instrumental in the design and manufacturing of the revolutionary Parelli Saddles, visit us here at the Atwood Ranch each year for a few weeks of fun and friendship.  This year Art had something else in mind — and that was finding Letitia the perfect partner.  He came in the form of a flashy sorrel gelding complete with a blaze and four stockings – not quite the look Letitia was originally looking for, as she had in mind a solid bay.  But the package, not the wrapper, was what blew her away and ultimately stole her heart!  “Flash” as we call him is aptly named.

Letitia wrote recently to the Atwood team, “The importance of assessing his innate Horsenality components (LBE with medium spirit was the prescription for me from each of you) in order to set me up for so much FUN in the future was brilliantly evident every time I played with him.”  She went on to say, “He played the 7 Games with the confidence of an adult horse, checked in with me after every single thing that I asked of him … and always came in for a snuggle with politeness … never barging, always appreciative.” 

“How could I ever begin to thank you … for providing the foundation of knowledge, talent and skill that created a horse of this quality so prepared to be the perfect partner for me?”   We are as happy for Letitia that she found Flash as we are that Flash found Letitia – what a great pair!  Flash will continue his development with 5-Star Premier Professional Dave Ellis.  For more of their story click on Testimonials above.

THE WOOLSEY FAMILY & AR COLONEL JOJO CHEX

The Woolsey family of Grants Pass, OR had visited Atwood Ranch in 2009 for a clinic with Maurice Thibault, 3-Star Parelli Professional.  When the Redmond, OR Share Parelli Event came around this year, we reconnected.

The family was looking for a “horse for Dad”, Kory.  Mom Ann, daughters Kelsey and Mikayla have all passed their Level 3 auditions and feel confident to bring along a young horse for Kory.  After visiting about goals, interests and savvy, we got to evaluating Horsenality, spirit and general demeanor.  It was decided that AR Colonel JoJo Chex was the perfect match for the family to add to their existing herd of 9!

Ann wrote after trailering JoJo home, “He is settling in with his new friend.  Stepped out of the trailer as calm as could be.”  And she followed up with, “He is just as happy as a clam this morning.  He even accepted a fly mask after a little rubbing!  It is a huge tribute to his Parelli foundation!!” 

We look forward to hearing about the family’s progress and anticipate seeing them at another clinic here when JoJo is a little older.