Equestrian Connection, January 2010

Page 42 / January 2010 / Equestrian Connection
. By Dan Kemp
We are very pleased to introduce you to this month's featured stallion,
MR SKYLINE PEPPY, an AQHA stallion and his proud owner, Atwood
MR SKYLINE PEPPY was shown very successfully and amassed a
Ranch Naturally.
little under $240,000 in NCHA (National Cutting Horse Association) earnIf you were a horse, you would want to be born and grow-up on the
ings. The plan for his future is light ranch work, using him for demonstra=
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Ranch. If you werea 'b~dil1gsta:111Dn0'OlTWould'waTItto
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there. Besides offering the most natural environment for a horse to live in,
Tom Atwood has owned .Skyline for one year. "We bred quite a few
this ranch is committed to the breeding, raising and nurturing of the finest
mares to him and are anxious to see his first foals who will be arriving in
Quarter Horses bred for competing in cutting, cattle working events, reinlate January." They are expecting 2 Skyline babies from embryo transfer
ing and recreational performance showing.
recipient mares also. MR SKYLINE PEPPY sired 238 registered foals
Located outside Orland, CA, the 3,500 acre ranch is nestled in the
before coming to Atwood Ranch. He is 13 years old.
southernmost foothills of the majestic Trinity Alps in Northern California.
Skyline's offspring's earnings are currently over $525,000. They
There, brood mares and foals lounge in lush, unspoiled, rolling pastures
have earnings or points in Cutting, Reining, Working Cow horse, Halter,
with spectacular views in all directions. They include snowcapped Mt.
Heading/Heeling, Dally Team Roping, Ranch Sorting and Team Penning.
Shastain one direction, majestic Mt. Lassen and the Sierra Nevadas in
"We're excited. We have a dozen of his foals coming this year."
another direction, the Trinity Alps in another direction and the Sacramento
Valley in yet another direction.
The ranch is owned by Dr.' Tom Atwood and professionally managed
by lifelong horsepeople Mike and Catherine Sapienza. Supporting them is
a carefully assembled staff of professionals.
Even though Atwood Ranch offers the service of their 3 Quarter
Horse stallions, they are primarily breeders, selling the offspring of their
stallions with a very special added bonus: A training foundation based on
the Parelli Natural Horsemanship philosophy.
"We have a really special thing we do here," commented Catherine
Sapienza. In referring to large breeding operations she added, "Nobody
does anything special with babies, it's not cost effective. But we have a
totally different approach. We invest our time and interest in them as foals
and yearlings. So you're getting a baby that already has a foundation. I
think that is what sets us apart. Particularly with the bloodlines we have.
If anybody is doing this, it is with individuals. But on a large scale, I think
we are the only ones doing it. Second, I think it is our connection with the
Parellis. That is kind of a special niche also. We are the only ranch doing
it (working so extensively with foals and yearlings), and using Pat Parelli's
The second stallion standing at Atwood Ranch is COLONEL DOC
~oundatiun;training-pr0grafl1o!'
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b.N!las]a~g..:,t because he has a
Our featured stallion is MR SKYLINE PEPPY. Known as Skyline,
bull's eye star on his forehead. He is 23 years old anClWasbred 6fTom
he is an own son of PEPPY SAN. BADGER out of his last foal crop. His
Atwood who owned the stallion's dam. "He looks great for his age. Tom
grand dam on the bottom was a National Cutting Horse Association Futusold him as a young cutting prospect. Target competed successfully in that
rity Reserve Champion. Her name was DOCS SERENDIPITY.
for 4 or 5 years. Atwood Ranch bought him back and put him into the rein"Skyline is a lovely, pleasant stallion to have around. Our Developing program, where he again did well, before retiring to the breeding shed.
ment Team has done a great job helping our stallions adjust to having a
"When Target was 13, Ken Wold visited the ranch. I was here that
life as much like all the other horses as possible. When we received him
day and remember it. The Cutting Horse trainer came out riding him and
he was very different from now as far as his wanting to be with people and
Kenny's eyes lit up. He asked if he could ride Target and Tom said yes.
interacting.'"
He hops on him and was turning him around and he said, 'Tom, can I take
After our introduction to Skyline in the barn aisle, Dr. Jessie Heidman
him?' Tom said sure and Kenny got him ready for the World's Greatest
(Atwood's on staff Veterinarian) led him to his outside paddock. It was
Horseman. Target knew the Cutting and the Reining, but he had never
a small pasture. Each stallion has his own with another pasture next to it
run a cow down the fence or anything like that and he had-never doneany
where they will put some. mares and geldings to keep the stallion company.
roping. So the horse had two new events to learn in about nine months,
She led him through the gate and walked him over to a small feeder hangI think. Hewas 13 years old at the time, so he was competing against a
ing on the rail in which was a littie grain. She removed his halter and they
bunch of five and six year olds. He stayed sound the whole time, had the
all expected him to walk off and find a nice place to roll, which is his normost consistent scores of any horse and he was Reserve Champion! Then
mal routine. Instead, he looked around at the glorious view, nibbled a little
he retired a second time to the breeding shed."
of the grain, then wandered off. Skyline was a perfect gentleman. Going
One of the highlights of our visit for the interview for this feature
out is something he very much likes. He followed Dr. Jessie and was very
was a golf cart tour, given by Catherine, over a large portion of the Atwood
cooperative. As stated, even after she removed his halter, he didn't bolt, he
Ranch where the breeding herd was pastured. Along the way, we stopped
was content to just be outside. This day, there was a group of retired mares
to meet Target. This day he was turned out in a round arena. He came trotand geldings in the next pasture. for him to "watch over."
ting over to see us. The first order was to receive his cookies. After that,
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