Five Minutes With... Ev Lagoon - Oregon Park Appaloosas

Crystal Slippers and Oregon Park Iftheshufits

Nevada Devil Dancer in 1972

Two year old Oregon Park Justin Affair, playing soccer at Harcourt Pony Club with his 16 year old rider Katie Petrusma -  showing his great Appaloosa temperament

Oregon Park Solitaire - a well balanced Appaloosa foal

Wapiti ApHC 5445 - Ev's favourite foundation Appaloosa

Ev's beloved 'old gentleman' - stallion, Kemal Tyson's Pride

stallion at stud, Ultimate Affair, is producing beautifully coloured, well conformed and lovely natured foals - View his stallion at stud listing on Horsezone for more information and photos of his progeny

Ev Lagoon, who owns and runs Oregon Park Appaloosas with husband Mat, is one of Australia's most passionate fans of Appaloosa horses and her family were amongst the first to breed these spotted beauties in the early 1970s! 

For almost 40 years, Ev has been breeding quality Appaloosa horses for people to enjoy, whether for national or state level showing, pony club, weekend trail riding, working stock or adding to their own breeding program.

Oregon Park's beautiful 130 acres, located just five minutes from the magnificent Paddleboat town of Echuca on the Murray River in Victoria, is home to Ev's beloved Appaloosas, who are renowned for their temperaments and kind, gentle, people-loving natures.

Jo Johnson recently caught up with Ev who, as official photographer at the recent Victorian Appaloosa Championship Show is busy sending out photos to competitors, finishing up two articles for the Australian Appaloosa Association Journal and conducting Hall of Fame research. Ev is certainly living up to her role as one of the best ambassadors for the Appaloosa breed in the country.

Ev is also revving up for the 40th National Appaloosa Championships, which are being held in Dubbo and will be the place to be spotted from 24 March to 3 April!

 

Ev, how did you first become involved with horses?

I was 10 years old and my first pony was a Shetland. All parents buy their children Shetlands. If a child can put up with a Shetland, they can put up with anything.

 

When did you fall in love with Appaloosas?

In 1972 my parents and I first saw Nevada Devil Dancer, Lucky Dash Jnr and Holy Smoke at Sunbury Show. Mum and dad (Andy and Nancy Howard) had always liked Appaloosas from the American magazines they’d had sent to them, but Appaloosas just weren’t out here in Australia. We bred three mares that year and by 1973, we had three Appaloosas!

 

What do you admire most about Appaloosas?

Disposition, you can trust your kids with them, they are easy to train and quick learners (so be careful what you’re training!) And I love the colour patterns, each one is truly unique.  I’m still a believer in the coloured Appaloosa, I don’t think any breeder waits 11 months and says with excitement “oh look! I got a solid coloured!”

 

What do you look for in a great Appaloosa?

Balance. You can see it in a foal at three weeks standing in a paddock. They stand square on all four feet, naturally. If they do that, you know their conformation is spot on, because they are comfortable standing that way. They will go on to become a great horse at halter and under saddle because they have natural balance. It means they are naturally good movers, everything falls into place if the conformation is correct from the start.

 

If you could go back in time and bring a foundation Appaloosa to Australia - which one would you pick?

Wapiti. ApHC 5445.  He personifies the colour, the conformation, the temperament, and the versatile ability of appaloosas, all in one horse. He was born in 1955 and is in the pedigrees of many great horses of the modern era. We are fortunate to own his youngest grandson in our stallion Ultimate Affair.

 

Is there a modern appaloosa that you would love to own and why?

There are just too many to pick from, and ‘modern’ is an interesting term. Does it mean halter, race, or performance?

 

Who are your favourite horses?

Kemal Tyson’s Pride. He is 28 years old, still producing foals, and still gets to rub his face on me every morning. He is a big old gentleman. All our mares are family, but Crystal Slippers is an absolute doll (as long as things are going her way).

 

What have been some highlights with your Appaloosas over the years?

Importing an Appaloosa is something I never thought I’d achieve, but in 2005 my husband and I imported Ultimate Affair. The same year we purchased Crystal Slippers, and she stayed at my cousin’s ranch in Oregon for 18 months before coming out in 2007. More recently, we have our 2 year old mare Oregon Park Iftheshufits, a product of our 2 imported horses, being trained by Lauren Vearing. So far she has achieved a state title and a Hi Point performance horse at the pre-State show, and we are heading to the Nationals later this month with her. She is more than we could have hoped for.

 

What are your goals when breeding horses?

To produce sound horses with level temperaments, that encourage the people who own them to get out and have fun with their horses. The biggest wins aren’t always in the show ring.

 

What do you see is the biggest challenge for Appaloosa breeders in Australia today?

It’s always challenging to select a stallion for your mare, get her in foal, get the result you hoped for, and then raise it to weaning without injury. There are so many steps in the process, aside from the financial challenges. It’s not really for the feint hearted. Money is tight for everyone, so you have to breed a horse that folks can really enjoy. Not be fighting with everyday, or be in fear of being kicked, or spend half the afternoon trying to catch! We are known for breeding truly “people friendly” appaloosas.

 

What horse sport would you love to have a go at?

I really admire Reiners. I don’t know anyone who doesn’t wish they were Stacey Westfall! If only for five minutes.

 

What sports do you think Appaloosas really excel at? 

Well I think today’s modern Appaloosa is lousy at pulling Gypsy vans. Other than that, they can do it all. Seriously, the registry is set up to accept outcrosses to a variety of breeds, so you can have Quarter horse crosses, Thoroughbred crosses for eventing, Arabian crosses for endurance, and warm blood crosses for dressage. The scope to breed the spotted horse for your chosen discipline is unlimited.

 

Are there any other breeds that you would consider becoming involved with?

You mean to say there are other breeds? Interesting.

 

Is there a tip you could offer to people wanting to become involved with breeding Appaloosas?

As a breeder, I believe you have to work out what you like, and aim for that, not follow someone else’s perception of perfection. And it’s better to afford one top mare, than ten so-so mares. Wait and get what you really want, never just ‘settle’ for what’s around at the time. When you go to a show, aim to take home the horse you like best, which is hopefully the one you took off your float earlier in the day!

 

What would you be doing if you weren't involved with horses?

I showed and trained Dalmatians for quite a while in the 1980s. Dalmatian people are a good bunch like Appaloosa people, always ready to help. I could easily go back to showing Dalmatians and Great Danes.

 

How do you relax?

With photography, and if I get the chance to sit in a paddock and photograph foals, well, that’s both my bases covered. However, I really should take up my banjo playing again. Mat and I also have hot rods, I have a 56 Chevy Sedan and he has a 35 Ford Coupe.

 

Are you a big dog or little dog person?

Oh goodness does Great Dane count as a big dog? I believe you should never have a dog that you have to bend over to pat.

 

What country would you most love to visit?

I went to Canada when I was 18 and at my age I need a refresher! But I’m told New Zealand is pretty as well. And Scotland, that’d be nice...

Quick Link

• Visit the Oregon Park Appaloosas website
• View more Appaloosa horses for sale on Horsezone