North Stars Valdez Y Basan
Valdez was born in Alaska, the night of the Exxon Valdez oil spill, and so his breeders named him for the french explorer who discovered the port of Valdez. When he was 2 years old, they stopped at our place to rest their horses on the way to Texas, where Valdez was shown at one show to 3 Grands, 1 Reserve and 1 Supreme. On their way back to Alaska they stopped again, and Valdez stayed.
We showed him for a number of years, to many championships and reserves, 2 supremes, and AMHA Reserve National Champion in Amateur Stallions. He also did very well in pleasure driving.
At the age of 11, a good friend talked us into bringing him to a show, and she showed him for us to Reserve Canadian National Champion.
Along with his son, Circle J Zachary, Valdez was also the winner of the Lord Sterling Cup for Utility Team Hitch 2 years in a row.
Several months after his "comeback" at the age of 11, Grandad went out to feed one morning and found Valdez with his head caught under his gate, between the hinge and the post. The damage to his spinal cord meant that he wasn't able to stand without help, and he had so much trouble eating as he had cut his facial nerves on both sides of his face and his lips just drooped. He spent several days at the vet, where they tubed him daily with DMSO and hoped that it was just inflammation, not a serious spinal cord injury. He lost so much weight, and we weren't sure he was going to make it. I remember when we left him at the vet ... we were getting into the truck and he was standing in the door whinnying at us, he knew we were leaving him there and he was worried. Luckily, with a lot of vet care and physiotherapy, he was okay. He's not exactly sound, his hind legs don't really listen like they should, but he is a happy boy and able to buck and play and do the most amazing airs above the ground when showing off for his mares.
Valdez micromanages his mare herd, loves his babies, hates all other horses and will charge the fence all day, and is just the sweetest boy in the world to people and especially kids.
For years we took him every spring to Aggie Days, where he was petted, poked and mauled by thousands of children, and if they got to crowding him too much, he'd yawn, which always caused them to leap away at the sight of his teeth.
Valdez is 20 years old this year, and looks great, we hope to have many, many more years of foals and love from him! Valdez's foals tend to inherit his good nature and intelligence, making them easy to train and a joy to be around. You can see some photos of his foals here:
http://www.circlejranches.com/valfoals.html
My, I got longwinded! But he's a special boy!
2009, 20 years young and in his element.
And maybe add why hes so special to your farm?
