By Pamela Bennett
VTP Chair
36 / Sport and Trail Magazine
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Recently, we caught up with Cleveland, North Carolina resident Samantha Majors where this enterprising young woman co-owns Full Stride Farm. Nestled among show jumpers, dressage prospects and other hunt seat show horses at Full Stride Farm resides Buckeye, a flashy 16-hand leopard appaloosa john mule.
Buckeye, the nine-year-old john mule has been calling Full Stride Farm home since 2014. Bred by Melanie Lowe of Ohio, out of a stock type appaloosa mare and mammoth jack he was purchased in November 2014 at the Dixie Draft Horse and Mule Auction by Christina Gregory and is ridden by Samantha. Since his arrival at Full Stride Farm Buckeye has continued to make a grand first impression, beginning with his loud boisterous bray greeting. He came with the intentions of being shown in USDF Dressage Shows, with the potential for other disciplines as well.
First impressions and memories of Buckeye began with his inaugural dressage show at the Tryon International Equestrian Center. Buckeye traveled there with his barn mate, a Friesian stallion named Douwe. As Samantha and crew were unloading the trailer Buckeye, in true mule fashion, greeted the first passerby of their trailer with his loud boisterous bray. The victim of his greeting happened to be a well-dressed gentleman leading a beautiful fancy warmblood. Nonetheless, the gentleman was taken back by this greeting, and perceived that “the donkey” had been bought along as a comfort animal for the Friesian stallion. Buckeye continued to cause a “stir” that weekend, placing first in all his tests, scoring in the mid 60’s, drawing quite an audience and a fan club.
NASMA SPOTLIGHT
Samantha Majors
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