Snoopy and I were invited to spend a day with the Arizona Draft Horse Association at a play day. We were the only ones to accept their invitation , so it was Snoopy a mini with all of their draft horses. We had a great time and Snoopy was not at all intimidated. This is just another way you can spend driving your horse no matter the size.
I purchased Silver Wampum in 1978 when he was just six months old. He was the horse I had always dreamed of having, an Arabian. Initially he was to be my trail horse so that is what we did for the next six years. We rode the trails all across Southern California. Then in 1986 I was in an auto accident that pretty much put an end to my riding. This is when I decided to teach Silver Wampum how to drive. I was lucky enough to live close to the late Anita Mellot and her beautiful Friesians and was able to go to her to learn about driving.
Silver Wampum was the start of my driving career. He turned out to be a natural at driving and I showed him for the first time at the San Diego Open Driving Show in 1990 where we took a 1st, 5th and 4th in our driving classes. Our first official ADT (Arena Driving Trail) was the Old Pueblo in Tucson, AZ in 1995 where we placed 2nd.
Aside from competing in CDE events in both California and Arizona he has shown in many shows both in San Diego and Phoenix, where he was high point winner in his division two years in a row at the Arizona Driving Festival.
He has participated in many parades over the years as well as carrying many brides to their weddings. Silver Wampum had a role in a TV commercial for an upscale ladies boutique in Palm Springs and has served as a model for the Petsmart store in Palm Desert, and is the only horse that was named pet of the month by Petsmart. Aside from driving he is an accomplished trail horse and has taken me to places like Havasupi in the Grand Canyon, Willie Boy Ride, Phoenix to Wickenburg Ride, Palm Springs to Joshua Tree and Man Against Horse Race. He has also served as my mount for four years while on the Riverside County Sheriff’s Posse search and rescue.
We did many more competitions, fun drives and yes some trails rides over the next five years. Silver Wampum did his last CDE (Combined Driving Event) at the age of 20 and earned the Best Arabian award. At the age of 22 Wampum left the world knowing that he was loved and cherished. Silver Wampum will always be remembered for his ability to adjust to any situation.
Accomplishments:
| Old Pueblo CDE, Tucson, AZ | Nov. 2000 | 6th |
| Susan B. Williams Memorial Horseshow | Aug. 2000 | |
| Pleasure Driving Open | 5th | |
| Man Against Horse Race | Oct, 1999 | |
| California Classic CDE, Rollings Hills, CA | Aug. 1999 | 8th |
| Pipeline Ranch Spring Gathering | Apr. 1999 | |
| Phoenix To Wickenburg Charity Ride | Feb. 1997 | |
| 1st Annual Rainbow Valley Driving Competition | Dec. 1996 | 2nd |
| Old Pueblo Driving Weekend, Tucson, AZ | Oct. 1996 | 2nd/3rd |
| Arizona Driving Festival | Oct. 1995 | |
| Open Arabian Pleasure Driving | 4th | |
| Open Color Pleasure Driving | 4th | |
| Open Pleasure Driving Novice Horse | 3rd | |
| Open Pleasure Driving Novice Driver | 4th | |
| Open Pleasure Driving Very Adult | 5th | |
| Heritage Classic Class | 1st | |
| Open Pleasure Driving | 4th | |
| High Point Four Wheel Division | ||
| Man Against Horse Race | Oct. 1995 | |
| Phoenix To Wickenburg Charity Ride | Feb. 1995 | |
| Arizona Driving Festival | Oct.1994 | |
| Open Arabian Pleasure Driving | 3rd | |
| Open Color Pleasure Driving | 1st | |
| Open Pleasure Driving Novice Horse | 5th | |
| Open Pleasure Driving Novice Driver | 3rd | |
| Open Pleasure Driving Ladies | 6th | |
| Open Pleasure Driving Very Adult | 4th | |
| Heritage Classic Class | 1st | |
| Costume Class | 4th | |
| Prescott Frontier Days Parade | Jul. 1994 | |
| Palm Desert Golf Cart Parade | Nov. 1992 | |
| Coachella Valley Horseman’s Association | Oct. 1992 | |
| Pleasure Driving | 1st | |
| La Quinta Parade | May. 1992 | |
| Palm Springs Mounted Police Rodeo Parade | Feb. 1992 | 1st |
| Cacus Circuit Horse Show | Oct. 1991 | |
| Pleasure Driving | 2nd | |
| Idyllwild Lions Desert Divide Ride | Sep. 1991 | |
| San Diego Open Driving Show | Jun. 1990 | |
| Pleasure Driving Arabian/Morgan | 1st | |
| Pleasure Driving Antique Vehicle | 5th | |
| Pleasure Driving Ladies To Drive | 4th | |
| 4th Annual Willie Boy Ride | May. 1989 | |
| Palm Springs Mounted Police Roadeo Parade | Jan. 1987 | 1st |
Spragues Orion Royale Herbie or Snoopy as he is called around the barn is an AMHA & AMHR (American Miniature Horse) gelding that stands 31″ tall. I purchased Spragues Orion Royale Herbie as a foal and have had him his whole life. I guess you can call him the patriarch of the ranch as he turned 21 this year. One would think that these little ones would not be good for much, but don’t let their size deceive you. They are a very versatile breed. I started showing Snoopy in hand when he was two years old. He always placed in the top five in his classes. By the time he was three he was driving and he proved to be very good at it.
Over the years he has won many Pleasure Driving Classes as well as Obstacle Driving classes. When Spragues Orion Royale Herbie was four he did his first CDE (Combined Driving Event) with his then partner Sedona. I drove this pair for five years and then finally in 2007 the American Driving Society recognized Miniature Horses in Combined Driving. Spragues Orion Royale Herbieis very versatile, he is my lead horse in pairs, tandem and four-in-hand. When his other team mates didn’t want to go something (like through water) all I have to do is tell him to go and if he had to he would pull the rest through.
Spragues Orion Royale Herbie was my driving horse in a Miniature Horse Drill Team for many years, doing parades and driving demonstrations.
I still drive Snoopy but now just for the fun of it. His favorite thing to do now is as a therapy horse visiting nursing homes and children’s library programs here in the Prescott area.
Accomplishments:
Stared in The Nutcracker put on by the Prescott High School, at the Ruth Street Theater (2002)
Featured in the Miniature Horse World Magazine August/September 2007
Performed in the Mini Sensations drill team at the 2002 Equifest, Prescott
Show Career from 1996-present, he has won many 1st places in CDE’s and Show Ring Driving
| Event | Date | Horse | Place | Level |
| Old Pueblo CDE, Tucson, AZ | Dec. 2004 | Snoopy | 4th | Prelim |
| SSC HDT | May. 2001 | Snoopy & Sedona | 2nd | Prelim |
| Arizona CDE, Coolidge, AZ | Mar. 2001 | Snoopy & Sedona | 2nd | Prelim |
| Pegasus CDE, Utah | Jul. 2000 | Snoopy & Sedona | 1st | Training |
| Arizona CDE, Coolidge, AZ | Jun. 2000 | Sedona & Snoopy | 1st | Training |
| Old Pueblo CDE, Tucson, AZ | Mar. 2000 | Sedona & Snoopy | 1st | Training |
| ADCS Mini’s CDE | Jan. 2000 | Snoopy & Sedona | 1st | Prelim |
| Old Pueblo CDE, Tucson, AZ | Nov. 1999 | Snoopy & Sedona | 1st | Prelim |
| California Classic CDE, Rollings Hills, CA | Nov. 1999 | Sedona & Snoopy | 1st | Training |
| Arizona CDE, Coolidge, AZ | Mar. 1999 | Snoopy & Sedona | 4th | Training |
SBF Shrimp Scampi is a Hackney/Pinto, 12 hand pony mare. I purchased her as a five year old because I was impressed with her driving ability. At the time she was in foal for the third time in three years. After her foal was born and weaned I started her back in harness, and you would not have even known that she had not been driven since she was two.
I took her to her first ADT (Arena Driving Trail) in September 2006 where we placed 5th. Since then I have competed with SBF Shrimp Scampi in CDE’s (Combined Driving Events) in Arizona and California. SBF Shrimp Scampi has done quite well all the way through Intermediate level, but due to her size, competing with her at advanced is not an option, as she cannot keep up with the larger 14.2 hand ponies. For the past few years I have used her for student lessons which she has done very well at.
Last year (1015) I decided to breed SBF Shrimp Scampi to get a Sportpony. She was bred to “Teignhead King of Clubs” a Dartmoor pony from Germany. I have always liked Dartmoor ponies but they are really hard to obtain here in the United States. I had the opportunity to drive several of them back a few years and I found them to be very solid and level headed. I am hoping to get a foal with SBF Shrimp Scampi personality and more of the bulk from the sire. Watch for pictures sometime in May.
| EVENT | DATE | PLACING | LEVEL | |||||||||||||||||||||
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| SSC AMHR/ASPC Show Halter Pony | Oct. 2014 | 1st | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| SSC AMHR/ASPC Show Halter Pony Championship | Oct. 2014 | 1st | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| SSC AMHR/ASPC Show Open Showmanship | Oct. 2014 | 5th | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| SSC AMHR/ASPC Show/Pleasure Driving | Oct. 2010 | 4th | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| SSC AMHR/ASPC Show/Halter | Oct. 2010 | 1st | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| ADCS ADT, Prescott, AZ | Jun. 2010 | 3rd | Inter | |||||||||||||||||||||
| ADCS ADT, Prescott, AZ | Oct. 2009 | 4th | Prelim | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Grass Ridge CDE, Sonoita, AZ | Oct. 2008 | 5th | Inter | |||||||||||||||||||||
| ADCS ADT, Prescott, AZ | Sep. 2008 | 3rd | Inter | |||||||||||||||||||||
| SSC ADT, Paulden, AZ | Aug. 2008 | 1st | Inter | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Ram Tap CDE Fresno, CA | Apr. 2008 | HC | Inter | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Arizona CDE, Coolidge, AZ | Mar. 2008 | 3rd | Inter | |||||||||||||||||||||
| ADCS ADT, Prescott, AZ | Oct. 2007 | 2nd | Inter | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Arizone CDE, Coolidge, AZ | Mar. 2007 | 5th | Prelim | |||||||||||||||||||||
| SSC ADT, Paulden, AZ | Sep. 2006 | 2nd | Training | |||||||||||||||||||||
| ADCS ADT, Prescott, AZ | Sep. 2006 | 5th | Training |