Well the 2006 Buddy Bash was a success! The crowd was a bit smaller than in past years, but everyone had a great time. Saturday started with an outing to the Wildlife in Need Center. EveryBuddy had a wonderful time meeting the workers and volunteers at the center. We learned new things about snakes and owls and spent an hour doing some helpful projects for them. Then we returned to Saddlebrook to have some lunch, visit with new comers and then headed to the arena for Charlie the Roper. He put on a really great show and he sure knew how to get the kids involved and excited…..I should probably inject here that he is also very good with a whip. He had Bill stand with his arm straight out while holding a drinking straw in his fingers. Charlie cut that straw smaller and smaller with his whip (which is going at 760 miles an hour) until Bill only held a very small piece still in his fingers. Amazing! Next it was time for David Stokes…..he is a nature man for sure but he has unique and funny ways of keeping everyone’s attention with great little ditties to help you remember things. He had live toads, frogs, and snakes that he let everyone hold. Later, we held the drawing for a free one year Buddy subscription. Congrats to Ashley from England on winning the drawing! We hope that Ashley really enjoys being a Buddy and that she’ll join us on the buddy board often. All in all it was a great time.

We had a little horse excitement before the Bash as Cookie stuck past John our high school worker and was soon running around the back and front yard of our house.  Luckily, we got her back in pretty quickly. She is really getting big and even with all that extra baby weight she was really ripping around the place.

A few people have asked how Luke is doing.  I talked with Jim (Luke’s trainer) last week at the ApHC Board of Directors meeting.  He said Luke was doing well, very willing and amiable and trainable, and that the month of August will be the real test.  Lots of shows and now that Nationals is complete they will be able to spend more time with him.  They will show him Hunter in Hand and Hunter under Saddle.  I will let you know as soon as he is shown.