BIG ANNOUNCEMENT!!!!!

Friends,

I am so elated I can hardly stand myself!

During the past two days I have been emailing John Lyons office, and today received the news that John and Jody Lyons are coming to the ASAP farm during the weekend of July 18-20!!!!!! Now I need some advice from you and hopefully as soon as you read this you can reply.

John wants to know what type of clinic or symposium we are all most interested in seeing. Would you rather have another large clinic where John works with a horse and rides it for the first time here? Or would you rather bring a horse that has issues and have John work with you and your horse to help you improve your horsemanship skills? I need your opinion by tomorrow if at all possible - email me at asapinc@mwt.net

and this is truly a blessing to have yet another opportunity to have John come to ASAP!!!!!

Need Your Opinion!!!

I am back from a busy weekend at Balmoral Park. Super Night was Saturday night and we were there with our silent auction items and t-shirts. We still have to pay off the t-shirts, so please don't be shy about ordering one. They are only $5 each plus shipping!

One of the items donated by Balmoral Park that did not get bid on during the silent auction (okay there was a $10 bid on a package worth $600!!) is a sulky suite party for 25 people at the race track. This includes food, beverages, and pictures in the winner's circle, ride in the start car, and more. I am wondering if this would be a good time to either offer it for silent bids on the web site, or to use the sulky suite package and open it up for anyone who would like to join us between October and December for a night of racing at Balmoral Park? We could do another silent auction there at the same time. It would be first come, first served. I also think that if more than 25 people wanted to come to the sulky suite they could - there would just be food and beverages and the other extras for the first 25 who sign up. Should ASAP ask for donations per person for those who want to come, or should we just host the evening and rely on

auction items as income? Let me know your thoughts, as well as dates that you think would be best! If I get good response we'll go with it!

Horses to pick up include: Shay N Telle in Iowa, Proudest Guy N in Iowa,

Fellowship Divine in Illinois, another gelding in Illinois (name escapes me!)...........and many waiting, including Paints and other breeds in Wisconsin. We are hoping for new adoptive homes for Penguin Beware and Gator Chaser and No More Compromise this week - will let you know!

Thanks to Korene G. for her donation of 100 bales of hay which were stacked in our shed when we arrived home Sunday night. How wonderful a gift that was for the horses! Also thanks to Engfords for their donation for the silent auction, Comfortex Mattresses and Andrea, Hawthorne Race Course, Denise R. for her donation of a wildlife bag , Dale L for his donation of a custom bridle (Andrea donated a bridle and several books as well!), Jennie D. for her donation of $300 for ASAP, and Lori H. for her recent donation of $100 towards the cost of Big Conquest's final vet bills. Beth S. just made a donation of $30 - thank you!

I'll let you know what we hear........also an update on Taser- he is doing better each day. He runs around his turnout now and is eager to be out with the others but is still on stall rest. He is one mighty horse! I hope to have his former owners come to see him in the near future, as well as some of his fans that have been asking about him! Take care,

Susan

Silent Auction Items and Taser and Harness and Moonshine Gulch!

I wanted to send along a picture I had taken of me, Betsy, and my mother in law during our visit to South Dakota. If you have never been to Moonshine Gulch in the Black Hills, you are truly missing something. Moonshine Gulch is not too far from Hill City, or Deadwood, or Nemo depending on the direction you are coming from. It is a famous stop for celebrities, and also bikers during Sturgis. Roy and Betsy own and operate Moonshine Gulch, and Betsy has a love for animals and wildlife, so it is understandable why I consider her a kindred spirit. If you ever have a chance to go there, you will be warmly received and given a big hug by Betsy. She makes you feel like family! And, Big and Rich's music video that was filmed in Deadwood last year also featured Moonshine Gulch and Betsy's two dogs on the porch with Big (or is it Rich?).....but you just have to go and see this place for yourself!!! So enjoy the picture of me with two of my very favorite people in life.

What a weekend!

About 15-20 children grades 3 through 5 were at our farm for a party. Horse rides, campfires, smores, and more. As I write I am pretty exhausted but it was great fun. I will post pictures as I have time.

Alice and Ray Hubert came through again for ASAP on Sunday morning. They donated a brand new quick hitch harness (gorgeous) and helped us fit the cart they donated to Steelin Apples. Apples has put a few pounds on in the past year and the shafts were a bit narrow. Thanks to Ray's pipe benders we were able to get the shafts widened and we took Apples for a little spin down the road and back. He is a very patient horse, and was kept satisfied during the harness fitting by eating on the delicious red apples that Ray and Alice brought with them from their tree at home. There is no wonder how this horse got his name! Many thanks to them for the time they took and the donations that will be put to regular use.

Taser Gun is showing great strides in healing from the kick that Big Tom's Kid delivered to him. He has been stall rested until this week. Now he is getting restless and wanting OUT. He has fallen in love with our resident donkey, Tilly. Tilly was up to no good Sunday afternoon and helped Taser escape from his stall. The two had a good galavant through the yard before Craig noticed and came running to get me. Tilly couldn't be caught and was quite enjoying misleading her new boyfriend, but Taser did stop and allow himself to be put back in the barn. He is pouting and Tilly is in stall confinement until we can put her back in the paddock with Fargo and Fox Valley Equinox. R Colelateral thought it was all in great fun and was running along his paddock trying to keep up with them.

Please remember us with donations for the silent auction next week at Super Night! We have received a beautiful donation from Denise R. (thank you!) and Comfortex Mattress and Andrea T. have donated a beautiful dog bed. Others have committed to donating to us but don't forget to mail it out, even if it is C.O.D.!!! Thanks so very much for remembering ASAP. Thanks to Balmoral Park and Hawthorne for their items which will help make our night a big success! I will write more as I know the items. Dale L.'s custom made bridle will also be part of the package.

I'll send more soon! Take care!

Susan

Pics

Big Tom's Kid leaves for Cheyenne Wyoming from Nemo, SD w/ Craig and family

Equinox and Cole Fences Down Trees and Flood

More Flooding Damage

Pictures of Storm Damage

Yes, I have finally transferred the pictures from my Kodak digital to my picture file. I am ready to show you that, and also some pictures of Fox Valley Equinox, R Colelateral, and Big Tom's Kid in the Black Hills of South Dakota. Big Tom's Kid was safely delivered to Cheyenne Wyoming for transport to her new home close to the Utah border with a large animal veterinarian. It is amazing to be able to have the honor to help these horses get homes, and to meet the people who are so eager to adopt. When the vet's wife first laid eyes on Big Tom's Kid standing in our trailer, she said, "Hey there, Sister", giving her a gentle pet on the face. When Kid got out of the trailer in Cheyenne, I stayed behind the trailer while they loaded her in theirs, unable to say the final "Farewell".
It's not that I am not excited for them, and I am very very happy for each horse that leaves ASAP's care to go to their new adoptive homes. It is just such a heavy heavy responsibility to carry, and each horse depends on us for their very well being. Big Tom's Kid is so far away......making sure it was the right home was very imperative for me. What better home than with a horse vet? And a nice family. I got that tight feeling in my chest, walked behind the trailer to pretend to close the door, and cried, whispering a prayer for her. Chin shaking, I pushed aside my tears to appear strong for my husband. He knew where I was (I am good about hiding when it comes to these "good-byes"), and waited for me to steady myself, regroup, and drive back to the motel where our children were waiting. After 14 years, it just never gets any easier!!! Emotions aside, here come the pictures of our horrific storm and then our horses on vacation!
PS - Dear Readers - I have been online for three hours attempting to load pictures to this blog.......stand by as I try again!

Super Night and ASAP and Items Urgently Needed

Hi Friends,
Yes havent gotten the pictures put up yet - but I am having to plan for Super Night right now.
Earlier I asked for donations - large or small - anything from gift baskets to coupons or subscriptions to televisions to horse-related..............to be donated for a silent raffle we are having at Balmoral Park on Super Night.
If you have a hobby and want to donate a painting, picture, ceramic piece, custom-designed tack, saddles, blankets, or WHATEVER...anything and everything would be gladly accepted.
Just mail it to us at ASAP Inc.
S 6039 A Pedretti Lane
De Soto, WI 54624
before Sept. 15.
If you need me to pick it up, call me at home at 608-689-2296. This will have to be a team effort, so please help me!!! I have no items so far for this auction............
Thanks and I WILL get those pics out.
Susan