(This is written from a Morgan horse perspective as this article was written for national and regional media by the event manager and founder.) 

Sunshine and Prime Location Draws Huge Crowds for Horse Open House

by Margo Mossburg

At the base of a lush green hill in a city park surrounded by budding trees many horse fans gathered for The Fourth Annual Stallion Showcase & Horse Sale in Spokane Valley, Wash., on April 26. The open house was a roaring success again in 2008. There were 54 head of horses, 8 Morgan barns out of 21 barns that attended, 15 different breeds and almost 500 people attended for the private treaty horse sale, Play Day Classes, clinics, vendors and fun. New this year was a tack sale, new and used, which was also a huge hit.

We offered twenty Play Day Classes that were well filled this year with an average of six head per class so it made judging competitive. Taylor Hartin of Hayden, Idaho, won the Morgan Pleasure Open, English or Western, class so way to go with Simon, a Morgan/Quarter Horse cross. In halter Wheatland Morgans of Palouse, Wash., took home Champion All Breed Halter Champion and Morgan Halter Class with Wheatlands Dream Walker also known as Dash shown by Chelsea Enos. We encourage purebreds and part-bred Morgans at all our events as a way to reach new people to promote the breed.

Although we had a hard winter in the Pacific Northwest and some of the horses were a bit wooly. That did not matter nor dampen the enthusiasm of all the exhibitors who come out to play with their horses at our event each year. This event is used as a warm up for the show season and folks know we always have a very fun day so they support it well as a chance to catch up with old friends from the last show season.

Thanks to the Wheatland Gallopers 4H Club for all their hard work this year as volunteers who helped judge and manage the gates. The Prairie Riders 4H Club was our food vendors for the day. They made $300 on their food fundraiser after expenses so will be back in 2009. Northern Meadows 4H Club rented themselves out as extra labor such as cleaning stalls and grounds clean-up. The invaluable help from 4H families made the event flow for all exhibitors and audience alike.

Kathy Clemens of Idaho was working hard to help promote the Morgan breed again this year by manning two Morgan promotion booths, one for the Rainbow Association and the Spokane Morgan Club.

Three horses were sold of all breeds at the event too. Most exhibitors report to us after the event they will sell more horses due to the contacts made at this event.

Congrats to Rusan Nyborg of Kellogg, Idaho, with her Morgan/Friesian cross, Chewy also known as Q. Amadeus, for winning the very popular all breeds $100 Jackpot Liberty. With 32 head going through in two and a half hours the class there was plenty of excitement for the audience to watch the horses running free.

There was a TV camera there all day filming Margo Mossburg, event manager and founder, that aired on Public Television on the Northwest Profiles program on May 7.

There was a large article with a photo of a Morgan about the open house featured on April 24 in the Spokesman-Review newspaper that drew in some of the crowd attending for the day. This event receives more and more publicity each year. The crowds were so large they had to park up the hill along the driveway and in the Senior Center parking lot and walk down to see the horses. it was by far the largest crowd we have ever had at our Morgan breed promotions event.

Three horse photographers from Artistic Images, Dragoon Studios and Lory Sue Enterprises were there to help owners market their sale horses to buyers this summer.

To see the event see our web site at http://www.spokanehorsesale.com  for more event photos and event details.

This event is co-sponsored by Dragoon Morgans, http://www.dragoonmorgans.com  and the Spokane Morgan Club, http://www.spokanehorsesale.com

Save the date in April 25, 2009 and please join us next spring for our fifth annual event to sell some more horses and to help us promote the breed in the Inland Pacific Northwest.

Along with 5 head of part-breds other Morgans attending included:

JMF Irish Ace for Black Watch Glen, Sandpoint, Idaho

Maynard’s Windy Tiara for West Plains Morgans, Spokane, Wash.

ATMF Halcyon for Dragoon Morgans, Spokane, Wash.

Camas Mist Cougar Ice, THMF Elegant Promise, Kee’s Golden Hawk for Thunderhead Morgan Farm, Moscow, Idaho

Wheatlands Dream Walker, Devine Lucky Spirit, Wheatland Reveille and Wheatland Cameo for Wheatland Morgans of Palouse, Wash.

Rhapsody In Blue for Wendy Laughlin, Valleyford, Wash.

Baptiste Jay Cheyadow for Beaches Triple T Ranch, Ellensburg, Wash.

CCM Moonlight Playboy, JMF Moonlight Express, CCM Moonlight Romance for Clear Creek Morgans, Kookskia, Idaho