Horsehead Ranch
Where Legends Never Die
No Guts No Glory!
by Kim Kingsley
Hello SMR! I would like to introduce you to Chief Yellow Fox, SMR 653. He is the last foal of the Spanish Mustang Registry's great foundation stallion, Yellow Fox, SMR 3. His dam was Two Woman, a daughter of another great foundation stallion, Buckshot, SMR 1.
Old Yellow Fox was captured wild on the Montana Cheyenne Indian Reservation in 1950. Two Woman was raised by Bob Brislawn, the founder of the Spanish Mustang Registry, who selected and bred these horses since the 1900's.
Born July 14. 1976 at Wales, North Dakota and bred by Bill Valentine, Fox came to me at 4 1/2 months of age. He grew to 15.1 hands with a riding weight of 1125 ponds. At three years of age, his first year of being a range stallion, he sustained a severe injury to the front of his right rear pastern. The would took a year to heal and another year to control the founder in his hoof from the fever. In the spring of 1981 I broke Fox to ride. During 1982 Fox ranged with my other stallions, learning to move his injured leg. 1983 and 1984 were years of being a saddle horse and traveling with me on my shoeing routes. 1985 and the spring of 1986 he ranged with mares again. In the fall of 1986 he started the long process of becoming a true endurance horse.
What a year we had to end the 1980's. Fox showed the nation that there is another breed for endurance other than the Arabian. He won the most prestigious award for stallion that the American Endurance Ride Conference bestows, the Jim Jones Award. This is the first time a non-Arabian has won this award.
I must pause and thank those who were so important in helping Fox and I ride to this title. Thanks to my parents, Al and Leah Kingsley of Oriska, North Dakota, for sticking with all these years. Thanks to the Lunderby family of Sauk Rapids, Minnesota, and Norm and Bonnie on the home front. Thanks to Karen for those long nights pit crewing the hundred milers and Susan, a special friend to all mustangs who never let forget the job at hand. Thanks also to those mustangers at home and around the United States for believing, and especially those at home who cared for my ranch and horses. Thanks to AERC, UMECRA, and MNDRA, our national, regional and local organizations, for making available the competitions. Lastly, thanks to all riders, managers, and vets who pitched in with crewing and moral support. They rode and owned Arabians, Apps, and everything in between but still they rooted us on. Of course, there were the skeptics who said things like "His legs won't hold up", "He needs to rest at least a year", etc. We heard this sort of talk right to the end of his 1500 mile season, which according to skeptics couldn't happen.
Fox and I traveled to five different regions of the AERC to ride seven 100 milers, ten 50 milers but due to rider error, we did not finish them. All of this riding took place in six months and two weeks. Fox carried 247 pounds the entire season.
We ended up Top Ten is six of the 100 milers and three of the 50 milers. One cannot forget that in order to get all these rides Fox had to be trailer about 15,000 miles, and trailering takes its toll after awhile.
The first 100 mile ride we attempted took a little pushing from our friends Jim and Shirley Donaghue of Clearwater, Minnesota, and some words of wisdom from Susan Lunerby, "If you and Fox aren't ready now, you will never be." Shirley was to ride with us but her horse suffered an acute cramp in the cold weather so did not ride. Our minds were made up, we'd do our first 100 miler alone. With great pit crewing, good advice and lots of encouragement, we finished in the wee hours of the morning. All our friends and supporters were there to cheer for us.
There was so much that happened during the season such as injuries and the horse's ability to work through them and to continue the season, I wish I could share it all with you, but space is limited.
Chief Yellow Fox has always given his utmost in every endeavor I have asked him to accomplish. Not once has he let me down. He is truly a champion in every since of the word. A champion is a horse that gives all no matter what the outcome. I hope some day you all have a chance to meet this great horse personally.
(Note: Perhaps you wondered where the title of this came from. A couple of weeks ago I received a belated Christmas gift from too young ladies, Jessica and Amber Engevold of Neilsville, Wisconsin. The gift was a coffee cup with a picture of a dragon and a knight. The log read "No guts no glory". These girls have known mustangs for many years. A few days later I received a phone call from mustangers Karen Haff of Stolen, North Dakota. In our conversation "No Guts No Glory" was again brought up. At this point I remembered a comment made by Joe Yougus of Michigan (former AERC National Champion of the Hwt. Division). He stated at the start of a 250 mile ride in reference to the fact that just two days earlier Fox and I had been in a 50 mile ride, "you guys have guts." This ride was in 1988. The phone call and gift were received in 1989, but the logo still has the same meaning).
I tell you now that Chief Yellow Fox has all the "guts" nature could give. It was only a matter of time before he received the "glory".
Mike Turnock-- 218-851-4677
e-mail : jomike@frontiernet.net
Kim Kingsley-- 701-845-2048
web design by Jo Turnock
jomike@frontiernet.net