NOVEMBER 2000 BACK ISSUE

Part of Horse Previews Magazine website. Posted on 11/05/2000; 2:00:00PM.

ANOTHER SUCCESSFUL YEAR! Wishing Star Gallop 2000

The trade-show was a shopper's delight! Over thirty booths displayed tack, silver, feed products, horse crafts, custom show ring clothes, breed registries, jewelry, chaps, buckles, beautiful prints and original art paintings, metal sculptures, tail wraps, sleezes, construction of pole metal buildings, specialty signs & designs, Nikken magnetic products, horse health supplies, custom leather work and saddles, horse T-shirts, sweatshirts, figurines, limited edition prints, LMF Feeds, livestock panels, western stores, vinyl fencing, discounted horse trailers, Horse Previews Magazine, galvanized fence products, stall flooring, training and boarding facilities, Gallop stallion owners, Super Sweats, and Professional Choice products. The trade show also included one of Gallop's biggest Sponsors and Spokane's best-known Country Western Station: KDRK, Cat Country 94FM. KDRK broadcasted live from the event; their disc jockey, Jim Diamond, commentated on stage with Gallop Coordinator Barbara Turner.

The Spokane County Fair & Expo Center's indoor arena was once again transformed into a breathtaking sight! Arrangements decorated by sponsors Ray, Judy, and Anna Apfelbaum of Wildflowers Florist, simulated a fireworks display bursting from above the drape line, and starbursts dropping from the stage to the floor in luxuriant fresh red, pink, white, and yellow carnations. Floral boquets lined the tastefully curtained backdrops and the complimenting green turf. The center stage was elegantly decorated with multiple eight-pointed glittered gold stars; the outer curtains hosted several glittering five-pointed stars. Twinkling foot-lights brought the stage alive as they danced around, keeping time to the live music. Icicle lights flickered from high above each curtain line. In the center of the staging area, elaborate chandeliers hung high atop the arena with a five-pointed star twinkling bright above the audience. So as not to miss anything happening in the arena, the professional touch of two ten-foot screens - one on each side of the stage - gave the audience the opportunity to see live action from the arena. Three thirty-foot towers held the spotlights that highlighted each stallion as he passed through the arena. Live music was played throughout the event, and commentators were dressed in tuxedos or shimmering diamond gowns as stallions pranced through drawn-back sheer drapes to making grand entrances.

A great quartet, Arvid Lunden & David and Megan Beach, kicked off the opening of Gallop 2000. New to the event this year were two "new" non-service auctioned items. Cat Country 94FM donated a Fender "Star" Guitar. What an opportunity for a collector's item! The Guitar had been autographed by many of the best Country Artists such as: Shania Twain, Clay Walker, Chely Wright, Sara Evans, Gary Allan, Tracy Lawrence, Kenny Chesney, Tim McGraw, and Faith Hill. In addition to the Guitar, the winning bidder received two tickets to the Neal McCoy concert at Silver Mountain the following weekend with two backstage passes so Neal could autograph the guitar and take pictures with them.

Many there knew its value. As the gavel went down, the Guitar sold for $2,050 to Dan Arteaga of Spokane, Washington.

The second "new" non-service auctioned item came from Horse & Habit of Veradale Washington. Owners Nancy and Dana Jewel donated a "Saddle Package". This package included a beautiful Circle "Y" Western Saddle. Mediumed oiled, it was three-quarter tooled with leather-covered stirrups, and a 16-inch padded seat. Included into the package was a matching headstall, reins, and saddle stand. Interest ran high as the bidding ended at $950. It was purchased by Ron DeLuca of Nine Mile Falls, Washington. Wishing Star would like to extend their sincere "Thanks" to Cat Country 94FM and Horse & Habit (the donors of these two "new" auctioned items) for helping to make dreams come true!

The 2000 line-up of stallions being offered was very impressive! Stallion services were offered from around the United States. Many were World, National, Congress, Regional, and International Champions. What a delight to see the finest stallions standing in the World! Stalls were decorated like Stallion Row at the World Shows. The Stallion Preview Parade was exciting, as always. Along with the spotlights, videos on the big screens, live music and commentating, it was scintillating to see the finest stallions offering services in today's market!

Many of the stallion services sold for their normal stud fees, but because of the generosity of Wishing Star supporters and the children that benefit from these auctions, several services sold for higher than their normal fees.