U.S. Mangalarga Marchador Association (USMMA)

Tag: John Kelley

  • Valentine’s Day Contest Winnners

    Reported to Aline Greene, newsletter editor

    1st place  Gayle Hamilton and MM Destiny do Summerwind, TX

    Destiny do Summerwind and Gayle Hamilton, TX

    I grew up with horses, but then when I turned 30, I joined the Foreign Service and started living overseas, so I could no longer own horses.  Luckily, in most of the countries where I lived, I could find horses to find, but it just wasn’t he same.

    When I knew that I would be retiring from the State Dept, I started doing research.  I had grown up with Quarter Horses and Arabs, but due to back problems, I wanted a gaited horse and I wanted one that was unique.  I stumbled onto the Marchador and found Lynn and John Kelley.   They were awesome!  They answered my questions, provided photos and invited me to come visit anytime.  They were so proud of the breed and so welcoming to someone exploring the breed that I thought that if they were representational of owners, then count me in!  I have found over time that everyone I have encountered with the Marchador has been very friendly and proud of their breed.

    Chanel de Miami with days old Destiny

    I was still overseas, so decided to do the Future Foal.  Lynn provided me photos and info and I chose a mare.  Well, I got a colt, but really wanted a filly.  Another buyer got a filly, but wanted a colt, so we swapped!  I retired, bought some land and got ready and when Destiny was 8 months old, had her brought to Texas.  Unfortunately, because she is so pretty and was the baby here, everyone has spoiled her.   She is a “brat”, but I love her and as she gets older she is getting much better.

    Destiny having fun as a youngster in TX

    She is 3 years old now and I have been doing ground work with her.  She lunges with or without a saddle, has jumped a small obstacle and walked over a tarp.    She is smart, pretty (I love her elfin ears), and is a joy.  I can’t wait until I am able to ride her, which I hope will be later this year.  I am heading back to Africa to work for six months so will wait until I return.

    She is my Destiny.

    She is stretching to make 14.3H so hopefully the extra few months will allow her to get a little more growth.  I can’t thank Lynn and John enough for Destiny.  Sadly, her dam (Chanel de Miami) and baby sister were lost in 2011, so that makes her even more special to me.

     

     

     

    2nd place Roni Keithcart and Marchwind Cobre

    Marchwind Cobre on the trail in Oregon
    Why we love our marchador.  Because he is………

    • fun,
    • smart,
    •  athletic,
    • sure footed,
    • brave,
    • dependable,
    • our endurance horse,
    • our mounted archery horse,
    • good playing with cows,
    • a lesson horse
    • on the team OHSET ( high school equestrian team),
    • with us horse camping,
    • and most importantly VERSATILE.

      Marchwind Cobre at a cow clinic

  • Frozen Semen = Vigor

    by Lynn Kelley

    We met the precious cargo at Scottsdale Equine Reproductive Center!

    In 2011, we were unbelievably excited to receive the first shipment of frozen semen exported from Brasil.  Ho-hum, you say.  It happens all the time.  NOT!   We had worked for over four years to see this happen.  There were two main issues.

    In Brasil, each breed is regulated by the Ministry of Agriculture.  For this to work, the ABCCMM had to modify its registration regulations, which had previously not allowed the use of frozen semen.  Then the Ministry of Agriculture had to create the rules for exportation for the MM and approve veterinarian clinics for collection and exportation.   To our knowledge, there are only 2 clinics in Brasil that have been approved so far.

    Ximoio de Maripa semen arrived in 2011 from Agro Maripa! He is pure blood Abaiba of very old genetics.

    The second is that there is not much demand for frozen semen in Brasil.  With so many horses and land, often the preferred method of breeding is still live cover.  For us to get Brasilian Marchador semen, the breeder needed to want to do this for us – for the good of the Marchador breed around the world.

    Enter Mr. Marcelo Baptista, owner of Agro Maripa who fulfilled our dream.   Agro Maripa collected and shipped 3 Maripa stallions of excellent quality and impeccable lineage to us in March 2011.

    Talisma Kafe, from Haras Elfar, is a stallion whose semen has been collected and we are working through the importation process for 2012

    Frozen semen (and later frozen embryos) is very important for the future of the Marchador breed here in the U.S.  Imported frozen semen adds many things:

    • Diversity – new bloodlines, new individuals to the North American gene pool.
    • Quality – these stallions are first-rate individuals, champions in their own right and proven producers.  Often not for sale, frozen semen offers a way to bring their blood here.
    • Excitement – it is exciting to be able to have a larger catalogue of beautiful Marchador stallions to choose from.
    Today, there are 13 USMMA registered breeding stallions in North America. We froze La Paz Jivago (100 breeding doses) before gelding him for owner Rox Rogers.

    For us the diversity and quality were the key items.  The excitement is just an added bonus!  We could have an immediate boost in quality in one generation.  For diversity, one could argue that we are okay there for now.  Because we  are fortunate to have many breeding stallions here in the U.S., enough to breed the mares and cross-breed the resulting next generation.  But what about the third, fourth and fifth generation?

    We may not be alive to see those MM foals born, but we are doing this for them.  Continued importation is the key for maintaining and improving the quality of the Mangalarga Marchador breed here.  We plan to import more semen, from different bloodlines and make it available  – a semen bank – either through the SW Future Foal franchise or the M Foundation.

    Connie Claire with La Paz Jivago foal DaVinci do Summerwind. DaVinci was the first MM foal born using frozen semen in the U.S. We are expecting a 2012 foal from Oma de Maripa using his frozen semen!

    We would encourage MM breeders to freeze their stallion’s’ semen here if it’s viable  (before they are gelded or get too old).  Perhaps your great grandchildren would like to have a foal from him someday!

    Frozen semen lasts forever.  It is a great investment in the future of the Mangalarga Marchador breed!

     

     

  • President’s Letter December 2012

    by John Kelley

    Happy Holidays to all USMMA Members!

    2011 in Review!

    It has been another busy year for the USMMA and the growth of the MM breed here in North America.

    We held our first MM Gait Clinic in Texas. Many thanks to Megan and Colin Fallwell of Legacy Marchadors for sponsoring the event.  Connie Claire plans to build on this tradition with an April 2012 Clinic in Ocala Florida. See the post on that for details.

    I hope everyone has had an opportunity to visit our new USMMA website,  which Colin Fallwell and Lynn Kelley created this year. Funding for this project was generously provided by Susan and Holm Neumann, Cascade Marchadors. Check out the section on the marcha gaits which includes video of Brazilian Marchadors correctly performing the unique Marcha Picada and Marcha Batida gaits.  http://t3k.315.mywebsitetransfer.com/breed/the-marcha-gaits/

    We created our fun, online horse competition, based on the Brazilian Functional Test.  We will continue this in 2012 and encourage everyone to try it doing the test with their horses!   Check out the details on our website.  Many thanks to Signa Strom and Theresa Longo for the ideas and development of this and to Ellen Farmer for translating.  http://t3k.315.mywebsitetransfer.com/shows-and-events/complete-horse-test/

    In July, five USMMA members traveled to Brazil to celebrate the 30th National Competition of the MM.  The ABCCMM MM generously invited US media to attend all or part of their 9 day tour to MM farms and the Show.   As a result of this media effort, the Marchador was on RFD-TV several times  – on RFD TV LIVE and also on THE HORSE SHOW with Rick Lamb.  We will be getting copies of the broadcasts for our use.  http://youtu.be/wfNjEjCuIxw

    Our USMMA calendar is done for 2012, this time thanks to USMMA member Ellen Farmer.  With broader participation, this fund-raiser should top $1,000 in monies we can use in 2012 to further promote the breed.  The calendar also goes out to many friends, family, MM lovers and to Brazil helping us spread the word about the beauty and use of the Marchador Horse.

    The new website has an on-line pedigree system of USMMA registered horses and Lynn is continuing to add videos and pictures for all horses and additional older pedigree information which goes back to our Brazilian historical roots.  http://t3k.315.mywebsitetransfer.com/registry/view-pedigree/#

    Our Board of Directors also changed this year. Signa Strom resigned from the Board.  We thank her for her many contributions and wish her the best in her future endeavors. Ellen Farmer, Lusonatica, has been appointed to the Board. The Board also appointed Derek Brown, Vista de Serra, to the Board and we look forward to both their contributions in the future.

    The Board appointed Megan Fallwell, Legacy Marchadors to be the USMMA Registrar, effective January 1,2012. Lynn Kelley who was instrumental in creating our registry and working with the Brazilian Association to correct paperwork and establish a close working relationship, has worked closely with Megan over the last few months so that we will have a smooth transition. We have transitioned from the old HorseManager System to WikiHorseWorld, which will give the Registrar and the membership greater flexibility and access to Registry information in the future.   WikiHorseWorld plans to add a Classified Ads section which will be an added benefit.  Many thanks to my spouse for her contributions to the USMMA.

    The Board also appointed Aline Oliveira Greene to be our Newsletter Editor.  I am very happy that we found someone to restart this valuable communication tool for the membership. Aline will also help administer the USMMA Facebook and Twitter accounts to encourage contact among the membership.

    I look forward to seeing many of you at our April Clinic in Ocala Florida!

    John Kelley, USMMA President

     

  • MMs are on THE HORSE SHOW

    by Lynn Kelley

    Television coverage of the Mangalarga Marchador by RFD TV in October and November.   Rick Lamb posts his shows on youtube.com, so if you haven’t seen the show yet, here is the link:
    http://youtu.be/wfNjEjCuIxw     Sit back, kick your boots off and ENJOY!

    www.youtube.com

    In Brazil, Diana investigates plans to bring top Marchador bloodlines to America. For more information about The Horse Show, visit http://www.thehorseshow.com/

  • Video – Interview at Agro Maripa, Brazil

    An interview with John and Lynn Kelley during their 2011 visit to Brazil.   Photos are all Mangalarga Marchadors from Agro Maripa.  John and Lynn imported a mare from their breeding:  Azenha de Maripa.

  • Media Kit — ABCCMM National Show 2011

    by Lynn and John Kelley

    This is  the press kit we developed  for the media traveling to Brazil to attend all or part of the 11 day tour offered by the ABCCMM.   RFD TV and the HORSE SHOW with Rick Lamb attended the event along with 5 USMMA members.

    You may need to click on the link on 2 separate screens to open the pdf file.  News about the MM breed, the planned agenda, the national show and more.

    Brazil Press Kit

  • Article – Equine Journal October, 2010

    All MM articles printed and MM advertising are scanned images or pdf files.  Please click on the underlined item (you may have to click on 2 screens) to view the item.

    2010.10.eqjournal

  • Article – Horse Trader August 2010

    All MM articles printed and MM advertising are scanned images or pdf files.  Please click on the underlined item (you may have to click on 2 screens) to view the item.

    2010.8.horsetrader

  • Article – Trail Blazer January, 2010

    All MM articles printed and MM advertising are scanned images or pdf files.  Please click on the underlined item (you may have to click on 2 screens) to view the item.

    2010.1TrailBlazer

  • Article – PA Equestrian August, 2009

    All MM articles printed and MM advertising are scanned images or pdf files.  Please click on the underlined item (you may have to click on 2 screens) to view the item.

    2009.8 PA Equestrian