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I have been choosen to be one of the 15
breeds in the Battle of the Breeds to decide what horse breed makes the
best trail horse.
I will be riding Eli's gelding
Wallowa's Rio Smoke and the Kigers sure could use a cheering crowd!!!!
It sounds like most associations are
bringing an army. I will be an army of one. We are allowed to
bring a number of horses for our breed display (stalls are $14.00 per
night) and they may be ridden daily in the 2 breed demos.
Hopefully Rowland will be bringing
Warrior to help represent Kigers. Only one horse goes in the competition
for which I was accepted for.
Eli and I at Kigers de los
Californios have paid all the contest entry/booth fees and paid for
the mandatory ad in their magazine.
If anyone is able to come cheer me on
in the Friday night competition or better yet help talk to people about
Kigers at our stall display during the weekend. please email or call me
ASAP.
- Sue Watkins
20TH Anniversary of the KMA
2008
is the 20th Anniversary of the founding of The Kiger Mesteno
Association (KMA). The original breed association formed to protect and
promote the Kiger Mesteno Mustang in the wild and in captivity.
KMA member ranches Kigers de los Californios and Cheney's Classic
Kiger Ranch among others will be exhibiting a selection of rare Kiger
Mesteno Mustangs at the 2008 Horse Expo to celebrate these great milestones:
30 years since the founding of the herd of Kigers in Oregon and the 20th
Anniversary of the Kiger Mesteno Association (KMA).
First
discovered in 1977 by the BLM in the rugged Kiger Gorge/Steens Mountains of
southeastern Oregon, the Kiger mustangs are thought to be direct descendents
of the horses brought to the new world by the Spanish Conquistadors in the
late 1500's and early 1600's. Almost 500 years of natural selection in a
harsh environment, from what at that time was considered the finest
bloodlines available in the world, then later careful selection by the land
grant Spaniards or ‘Californios’ has produced the Kiger Mesteno. These
horses show remarkable intelligence, soundness, endurance, brio ‘the fire within’ and a natural desire and ability to work
cattle. Like their close relative the Andalusian, Kigers can have heavy
double manes, long flowing tails and a lot of high gaits or ‘leg action’
making them truly poetry in motion.
The
BLM manages two special areas in
Oregon
for wild horses having Spanish Barb/Mustang characteristics. They are
located in the Burns District and are known as the Kiger and the Riddle
Mountain Habitat Management Areas (HMA’s).The Kiger HMA
covers nearly 37,000 acres with a herd population established at a minimum
of 51 and a max of 82 horses. The Riddle Mountain HMA contains nearly 28,000
acres and the horse population is managed to range between 33 and 56 head.
So there is only about 200 Kigers left in the wild. Every four years when
the herds reach their maximum population, the extra horses are rounded up
and taken to the Burns Wild Horse Corrals where they are made available for
adoption to the public. At the 2007 adoption the top selling horse was a 2
year old golden dun stud which sold for $7800.00, while the top mare a dark
Grulla brought $7400.00. At the 2003 Kiger Adoption the top selling horse
was a young filly which sold for $19,000.00.
In
addition to the wild Kigers on the HMA’s, many individuals are raising
Kigers on private farms and ranches throughout the United States. There is currently
over 700 horses registered with the association. All KMA registered Kigers
must be DNA tested for the Spanish gene markers and show the primitive Dun
factor coloring. The horses are most commonly a shade of bay dun, red dun or
grulla with a few solid bays and blacks. Dun factor markings include dorsal
stripe. jack/shoulder stripes, zebra stripes on the legs, bi-colored manes
and tails, ears with dark outlines, herring bone markings on the dorsal
stripe and cob webbing on the face.
The
personality of the Kiger is one of great presence. Their temperament is a
unique combination of hot blooded fieriness and calmness with above average
intelligence and a strong desire to please. The stallions are easily managed
and well mannered. Many breeding stallions are routinely ridden in
exhibitions, competitions and for daily ranch work. The mares tend not to
exhibit the moodiness typically attributed to mares. Kigers are long lived
with no known heredity defects.
Kigers
de los Californios is located near
Sacramento,
CA. They buy, sell, train and show
quality, KMA registered
Kiger
Mesteno horses. They offer Kigers
for sale in a range of ages, which are started with solid foundations that
will bring new owners many years of pleasure and service no matter the
discipline.
Cheney's Classic Kiger Ranch located in Lodi, CA and owned by renowned
bronze artist and horseman Rowland Cheney is strictly a breeding farm
standing 3 Kiger Stallions including
Cougar’s Hijo Warrior the only breeding son of the famous
Kiger Cougar the horse Bobby Ingersoll immortalized by winning the 1992
Snaffle Bit show in Paso Robles. Be sure to take the time to visit the
Kigers who will be on display at the 2008 Horse Expo in the Breed Display
Area, June 6-8, 2008, at the Cal Expo Fairgrounds. And be sure to wish them
a Happy 20th Anniversary.
For
more information please contact::
Sue Watkins 530-318-1974
www.KigersDeLosCalifornios.com
Only son of Kiger Cougar on Display
The
Kiger Mesteno Association, Kigers de los Californios and Cheney's Classic
Kiger Ranch will be presenting
Cougar’s Hijo Warrior, the only breeding son of the famous
Kiger Cougar at the 2008 Western States Horse Expo June 6 -8, 2008, at
the Cal Expo Fairgrounds in Sacramento. Bobby Ingersoll immortalized
Kiger Cougar by adopting him from
the BLM wild Kiger horse corrals in Burns OR, and then 2 years later putting
him in the show ring. In 1992 Cougar was shown at the CA Mid State Fair in
Paso Robles, where he won first place over all the other breeds in the
Snaffle Bit Class. The following month, Cougar was shown at the NRCHA World
Championship Snaffle Bit Futurity in Reno, where he placed in the top 25. Bobby
Ingersoll and Kiger Cougar showed
the horse world when given the chance, just what a Kiger Mustang can do.
Cougar’s Hijo Warrior is the only
breeding stallion produced by Kiger
Cougar. He is a 1994, 14.2 hand, golden dun stallion standing at
Cheney's Classic Kiger Ranch in Lodi, CA which is owned by renowned bronze
artist and horseman Rowland Cheney. Although ‘Warrior’ was never shown
competitively, it is easy to see he carries his famous father’s talent and
athletic ability.
Warrior’s dam Presentation is a 1989 dun mare that was presented to Mr. Channey by
the BLM as a gift for all the work he did helping to protect and promote the
original herd of wild Kigers.
Presentation was the 19th horse to be registered with the
Kiger Mesteno Association and is thought to be a daughter of the
original wild stallion Mesteno. She will be on display also.
First discovered in 1977
by the BLM in the rugged Kiger Gorge/Steens Mountains of southeastern
Oregon, the Kiger mustangs are thought to be direct descendents of the
horses brought to the new world by the Spanish Conquistadors in the late
1500's and early 1600's. Almost 500 years of natural selection in a harsh
environment, from what at that time was considered the finest bloodlines
available in the world and later careful selection by the land grant
Spaniards or ‘Californios’ has produced the Kiger Mesteno. These horses show
remarkable intelligence, soundness, endurance,
brio ‘the fire within’ and a natural desire and ability to work cattle.
Like their close relative the Andalusian, Kigers can have heavy double
manes, long flowing tails and a lot of ‘leg action’ or high gaits, making
them truly poetry in motion.
All KMA registered
Kigers must be DNA tested for the Spanish gene markers and show the
primitive Dun factor coloring. The horses are most commonly a shade of bay
dun, red dun or grulla (black dun) with a few solid bays and solid blacks.
Dun factor markings include dorsal stripe. jack/shoulder stripes, zebra
stripes on the legs, bi-colored manes and tails, ears with dark outlines,
herring bone markings on the dorsal stripe and cob webbing on the face.
The personality of the
Kiger is one of great presence. Their temperament is a unique combination of
hot blooded fieriness and calmness with above average intelligence and a
strong desire to please. The stallions are easily managed and well mannered.
Many breeding stallions such as
Cougar’s Hijo Warrior are routinely ridden in exhibitions, competitions
and for daily ranch work. The mares tend not to exhibit the moodiness
typically attributed to mares. Kigers are long lived with no known heredity
defects, as proof last month at 14 years old Warrior was entered in his
first endurance ride, he completed the ride easily coming home in the middle
of the pack of 75 riders and passing all the vet checks, while carrying over
260 pounds.
Kigers de los
Californios, a training facility whose specialty is to buy, sell, train and
show quality, well bred, KMA registered Kiger Mesteno horses. They offer
Kigers for sale in a range of ages, which are started with solid foundations
that will bring new owners many years of pleasure and service no matter the
discipline. Each horse they
handle is personally selected for conformation, breed type and trainability.
The Kiger Mesteno
Association is honored to present you with the opportunity to meet a wide
selection of quality Kigers including
Cougar’s Hijo Warrior in the Horse Expo Breeds Display. They will also
have a registered filly in the select sale so you can own a piece of living
history, the Kiger Mesteno Horse! June
6 -8, 2008, at the Cal Expo Fairgrounds in Sacramento
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