| MOONRAKER (AKA Chief ) 1983 - 2011 |
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| A TRUSTED MOUNT FOR MORE THAN TWO DECADES. CHIEF, YOU WERE AN INCREDIBLE FRIEND, PART OF THE FAMILY, AND GREATLY MISSED. |
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| ** MOONRAKER ** ** He graced this Earth with his presence, and now shines in the heavens to grace the world. ** Mom and Dad, Thank-you so much for giving me and our family the experience of a lifetime with having Chief as a member of our family. I am so glad that I pleaded with you to buy him at the International Show when I was 8 years old. I remember thinking what a cool pony he was with his loud coloring and "heart-shaped" spots on his side. You told me I had to share him with my older brother Bryan, but I knew he was all mine - and he was! We truly hit the jackpot with having him as a pony to teach me how to ride, to be a better person, and take me to many heights. He was the best pony any little girl could have wished for or even dreamed of. He was truly one in a million! They will never make another pony like him. He was a pony who always gave his heart 110% of the time to anyone who rode and loved him. He truly deserves to be known as the pony with the biggest heart. Many remember him as a great hunter jumper pony. We all knew he loved to jump after the first jumping lesson. This love became evident after the hunter jumper show when he won 8 out of 10 first place ribbons, out-jumping 17 hand horses! Everyone could see he was a great pony and wanted one just like him. We could never part with him. He may not have won POA Supreme Championships or International Championships ( almost twice my last year in 9-12 ), but he was the Ultimate Champion in my heart and always will be. It was my wish for my daughter to know him and ride him. I am lucky to have had that wish come true. I am glad that Abby was able to know him like I did as she fell in love with him too! Abby showed him in leadline at the age of 2 1/2 years old. Chief showed her the loving bond between a girl and a pony. Abby used to tell me that Chief was her pony, but she would share him with me. How lucky was I!? My niece Shelby took Chief in 2007 and showed him off as a true show pony that he was. Chief was 24 years old at that time. I was so jealous as she was able to ride him in the gaming classes AND win! He was never trained to game because he didn't like like to do it when I was little. Maybe he knew I wasn't ready? He somehow knew we weren't supposed to "run too fast" so I stopped asking him to do it. Then how did he know how to game and run the patterns at 24 years of age?! He shocked not only us, but many POA members that year, prancing at the gate and then galloping across the arena! I guess he was just happy to be out of retirement! Thank-you Shelby, for giving him a second POA show career. He always did his best for you because he loved you. One more time in 2010, Chief carried my niece Lauren to her first Championship at 27 years of age. I knew the day would come when he had to leave us, but it doesn't make it any easier to say goodbye. The tears keep falling. Thank-you for taking such great care of him all of his life Mom and Dad. I feel as if he waited for me to come to say goodbye to him tonight. When you called to say he was sick today, I just knew and felt I had to see him right away. I can be at peace now as I was able to say my personal goodbye and give him many hugs and kisses he deserved. I talked with him about the great experiences we shared and told him that he was the best pony ever. Before I left, I told him that I loved him, that it was okay to go and to go in peace. Thank-you Chief for the ride of a lifetime!! - Love Amy ** He is truly a star in heaven now shining down upon us" |
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| CHIEF AT AGE 27 IN 2010 CHIEF AND LAUREN WINNING A CHAMPIONSHIP! |
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| CHIEF AND CODY |
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| CHIEF AND SHELBY SHOWING IN BARRELS AND SHOWMANSHIP. CHIEF CARRIED SHELBY TO NUMEROUS RIBBONS IN A VARIETY OF CLASSES. |
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| CHIEF WITH AMY'S DAUGHTER ABBY |
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| GRANDPA AND CHIEF |