About Jim
I was a horse-crazy child, a horse-crazy adult, and now, I guess I am a horse-crazy senior citizen. Horses have been a part of my life since I obtained my first mare at the age of fourteen. She was a seven-year-old Arabian-Shetland cross, a black pinto, halter broken only. All I knew was what I had read in books and magazines. Together, we learned a lot, and I have some wonderful memories of our years together. She was finally sold to a young boy for his first horse when I was drafted into the Army. Although I have had many horses of several breeds since that time, I still favor pintos of the Arabian type.
My love of pintos is actually partially responsible for the formation of the PtHA. My friend Kay Heikens used to go to shows with me. At that time, there were very few breed shows, but almost every town had a riding club, and most put on an annual horse show. Quarter horses or other solid-color horses usually placed at the top of the classes, regardless of their performance. Of course, I had a black pinto mare, and Kay felt that we were often beaten unfairly. She wrote an article, "The Plight of the Pinto," that was published in Western Horseman magazine. Helen Hammond of New Jersey contacted Kay and said they had the same situation there. Together, they formed the PtHA, with Kay as president and Helen as secretary/treasurer. I, of course, was one of the first carded judges for the association.
Over the years, I have been a carded judge for many breeds and organizations. At one time, I held judges cards with ten different organizations. In recent years, I have dropped many of those cards and have judged mostly Miniature and Shetland shows, including several ASPC/AMHR regional shows, the Shetland Congress (twice), the AMHR Nationals (twice), the AMHA World Show (twice), the AMHA Canadian Nationals (twice), and this year (2008) I judged three shows in New Zealand. In addition to judging, I have also written articles—horse-related, of course—that were published in Western Horseman and Horse Lover's magazines.
I have always believed that if something is important to you, you get involved. The result of that is that, over the years, I have been president of every local club of which I was a member. This began as a youth with the Manteca Junior Horsemen and has included the Stockton Horse Show Exhibitors, the San Joaquin County Horsemen's Association, Diablo Arabian Horse Association, San Joaquin Valley Rangers, Region III of the California State Horsemen's Association (their youngest president ever), and more recently the Area VII Shetland Pony & Miniature Horse Association and the Valley SIerra Miniature Horse Association, the last two multiple times. At this time, I am a board member of the ASPC/AMHR representing Area VII. I have also managed the San Joaquin County Fair horse show and announced others.
For many years, I was a banker and a credit manager, and had my horses as a hobby. Then I had a riding accident and was in a cast for six months after back surgery. At that time, I decided to make my hobby my business, and opened a public training stable. I operated the training facility from 1972 until I closed it in 2006. In the earlier years, I trained mostly Arabians, Morgans, and Saddlebreds. In the mid-1980s, I became involved with Miniature horses, and later with Shetlands. I have been fortunate to have trained several national champions in each breed. I am proud to be able to say that not only do the horses I own win, but horses I have sold have won for their owners on the national level.
Now for my horses. I have always had more than one, but somehow in the past few years the herd has grown to more than 50, the majority being ASPC/AMHR registered. I have a few that are ASPC ponies only, a few AMHR/AMHA Miniatures, and recently obtained a Modern mare, a past Congress champion. For years, my business cards read "Halter horses that win in performance and performance horses that win at halter." I have always bred for a pretty, athletic animal that can do something, and look good doing it.
At this time, I own a tack business, JC Mini Tack, specializing in miniature and pony equipment and supplies. I travel with a mobile unit to area shows. This is in addition to breeding and exhibiting my own animals.
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Jim Curry |
Webmaster: Michele Nelson |
Links
Clubs
Area VII Shetland Pony & Miniature Horse Association
Breeders
Platte Ridge Farm
Step-N-Stone American Shetlands
Sweet Opal Miniatures & Shetlands
Services
L'il Beginnings Miniature Horses International
Last updated 31 January, 2010
©2008 by Jim Curry. All Rights Reserved