Another Equine Chronicle Exclusive: Joe Moran Gives Insight into his Decision to Purchase Vital Signs Are Good

Joe Moran, the proud, new owner of one of the most recognized Quarter Horse mares in the industry, said that the chance to own a horse like Vital Signs Are Good comes along once in a lifetime.

“Horses like the Zippo LTD’s and the Harley D Zip’s become available so rarely,” Moran said.

Kristen Galyean had gone back and forth for a year about selling the mare and the Moran family hadn’t even thought about buying the horse until they got to the Congress Moran said. He said that while buying a horse with such an impressive career can sometimes lead to high expectations, he believes that his daughter Theresa and “Lucy” will make a good match.

“Theresa really only has two years left in youth competition,” he said. “She’s been riding for a long time and I think she has the confidence to handle an upgrade.”

Moran said that the sole reason for buying “Lucy” was to be a show horse for Theresa, however he does plan on continuing her career as a champion producing broodmare. Moran said that he is by no means a “serious breeder,” but instead he does it because he loves raising foals.

Interestingly enough, Moran said that the one person who was instrumental in the purchase of the horse was not a part of either the buying or selling party.

“Without Lew Papendick holding my hand through this, the deal really wouldn’t have gone through,” he said.

Moran said that he did have to go outside for a moment to take a deep breath after he realized how much he would be paying for the mare. However, Lew Papendick put Moran at ease when he said that his similarly pricey purchase of Harley D Zip was the best decision he ever made.

As far as how Theresa feels about her new horse, Moran said, “we’re going to send a spacecraft to Mars to bring her back real soon.”

An Equine Chronicle Exclusive: Charlie Cole and Jim Glover give insight into both sides of the sale of Vital Signs Are Good.

As of Wednesday October 28^th, Vital Signs Are Good is settling in to her new home at High Point Performance Horses in Pilot Point, Texas. With the sale finalized, the Moran family of Laguna Hills, California is now the proud owner of one of the most recognized western pleasure mares in the Quarter Horse industry today.

Charlie Cole, of High Point Performance Horses, said “the deal closed yesterday and she is at our place now, in the stall right next to Harley [Harley D Zip].”

Although Cole knew that “Lucy” was going to be available for purchase a while back, he hadn’t pursued it because he didn’t have anyone specific in mind. Then, the Moran family expressed interest in getting another high caliber western pleasure and western riding horse for their daughter Theresa. During the Congress, Cole said they looked at and tried out several different horses, but just couldn’t find the right fit. It was then that Jason Martin suggested Vital Signs Are Good. 

“Our plan is for Theresa to show her in the youth classes for 2010 and her last year in 2011,” Cole said. “She might try showing in horsemanship or trail, but that hasn’t really been decided a hundred percent yet.” 

When asked about the possible expectations that come with purchasing a horse with such an extensive show career, Charlie said that he is just excited to have another great horse in the barn. He said that despite her success in the Amateur and Open divisions, “Lucy” has never been shown in Youth competition. This may give the already renown show mare a chance to prove herself in a completely different arena. Above all, Cole said that they want to keep “Lucy” happy and as fresh as she has always been.

Looking toward the future, Cole said that Joe Moran will definitely want to continue to flush embryos because “she has produced two Congress champions already and definitely has a lot to give back to the industry.”

On the other side of the deal, Jim Glover gave his opinion on the difficult decision that his family had to make when deciding to sell Vital Signs Are Good.

“We’ve been talking to Kristin about this for about a year,” Glover said. “Ever since she decided to get married, we realized that her time would be split somewhat. It was a long conversation and there was a lot to think about because she loved that mare as much as anyone could love a horse.”

Glover said that this was an ideal situation because the buyers are great people and their goals and ambitions won’t be super-aggressive for the horse.

In regards to the widespread speculation concerning the price of the mare, Glover said “she was a very expensive mare, but she went to a good home and that was one of the key things for Kristin. The terms of the sale are confidential, but Glover did comment that there was discussion of retaining embryos. 


http://www.onlinedigitalpubs.com/publication/?i=5414&144&search_str=glover&search_str=glover&p=145

Things to do in Fort Worth and Oklahoma City (when you’re not at the horse show)

If you’re planning on attending the Quarter Horse World Show in Oklahoma City, or the APHA Fall World Championship in Fort Worth, most of your time will probably be spent either at the show grounds or your local hotel room. However, if you do find yourself with a few free hours and are looking for something to do, please consult the following list of favorite attractions and restaurants in the area.

Fort Worth, Texas

Attractions:

• The Fort Worth Stockyards- 130 East Exchange Avenue

During the daytime you can watch the daily cattle drive down East Exchange Avenue or do a little shopping at one of the many galleries and boutiques along the main drag. Shops like the Leather Trading Co., The Cross-eyed Moose and Olde Tyme Mercantile offer leather goods, western memorabilia, and authentic western wear. If you’re more interested in what the local nightlife has to offer, you must visit Billy Bob’s of Texas, the world’s largest honky tonk. Other popular attractions include Pearl’s Dancehall and Saloon and The White Elephant.

• Fort Worth Botanical Gardens- 3220 Botanic Garden Boulevard

The Botanical Gardens offers more than 2,100 acres of trails and garden exhibits. One featured exhibit is the Japanese Garden with lakes that are home to thousands of exotic Imperial Koi fish. 

• Fort Worth Museum of Science and History- 1600 Gendy Street 

Although the new museum building is still under construction and won’t be ready until late November, you can still see movies on the IMAX dome in the Omni Theater. 

• National Cowgirl Museum and Hall of Fame- 1720 Gendy Street

At this museum you can learn about famous horsewomen like Faye Blackstone and Louise Massey Mabie or try your hand at the simulated bucking bronc ride. Your ride is captured on tape and composited into footage from an old-time rodeo for a unique souvenir.  

• Fort Worth Zoo- 1989 Colonial Parkway

Featuring over six thousand native and exotic species, the zoo also hosts many exhibits like the World of Primates, Koala Outback and Komodo Dragons.

Restaurants:

• Joe T. Garcia’s***- 2201 N Commerce Street

A mainstay in Fort Worth for over 60 years, this family owned restaurant serves up some of the best Mexican food in the area. The menu consists of only fajitas and enchiladas and you must pay in cash, but the outdoor eating area complete with garden space and fountains attracts so many patrons that the line for a table often goes around the whole block.  

• Del Frisco’s****- 812 Main Street

Boasting a four-star rating from the Dallas Morning News, this legendary steak house is famous for its prime aged, corn feed beef and cold-water Australian lobster tails. 

• The Silver Fox- 1651 S University Drive

Located just down the street from the show grounds, this steak and seafood restaurant has its own wine cellar with over 2,500 bottles of wine.

• Ol’ South Pancake House*- 1509 S University

Ol’ South has been family operated since 1962. Open 24 hours this breakfast spot is perfect for those times when the show doesn’t get over until 2 in the morning. 

Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

Attractions:

• Bricktown- accessible from I-40 and I-35 on the eastern border of downtown.

What was once an old warehouse neighborhood is now the main entertainment district of Oklahoma City. Offering restaurants, shopping, nightclubs and numerous entertainment options, Bricktown also features a canal running right through the middle of downtown. One main attraction is City Walk, a multi-club complex with nightlife spots like Posh, City Limits and Stooges.

   

• Water Taxi of Oklahoma- 300 E California Ave.

A great way to see what’s going on in Bricktown is to take a tour on one of these flat-bottomed boats through the canal. They run Monday to Sunday from 10:00 am to 10:00 pm and general admission price runs about $6.50. 

 • Frontier City Theme Park- I-35 N, exit 122nd street

This western style theme park covers 40 acres with roller coasters, water rides and entertainment for the whole family.

• National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum- 1700 NE 63rd

This popular attraction displays classic and contemporary western art, historical galleries and Prosperity Junction, a re-created authentic western town. Some of the exhibits include the American Cowboy Gallery, Western Performer’s Gallery and American Rodeo Gallery.

• Chisholm’s- 401 South Meridian

At this country western style saloon you can play “just for fun” blackjack, roulette and craps, or take a spin on the dance floor to the latest in country western music.

  

      

Restaurants:

• The Ranch Steakhouse*****- 3000 Britton Road

With an inviting old world atmosphere, this steakhouse offers trademark appetizers like blue cheese tournedos, blackened scallops and Texas 1015 onion rings. (405) 755-3501

• Trapper’s*- 4300 W Reno Ave.

The atmosphere of this Cajun seafood restaurant is truly one of a kind, featuring a tank with baby alligators and a full size canoe as part of the décor. Try the blackened alligator or squash rockefelller to complete the experience. 

• Abuelo’s**- 17 E Sheridan Ave.

At this popular Bricktown Mexican restaurant you can get the traditional Mexican standbys like fajitas and enchiladas. However, if you’re feeling a little more adventurous try the Los Mejores de la Casa, filet medallions wrapped in bacon, and shrimp stuffed with Monterey Jack cheese and jalapeños.  

EC BEST Restaurants of 2009 - Rating

An Elite Group *****

Good Local Flair *

Diamonds Made From Horse Hair

To begin, I have to start by saying that this is not a joke. There are actually a select few companies around the world that claim to be able to create “memorial diamonds.” These jewels are called such because they are created by using the carbon that can be extracted from cremation ashes or hair.

When you think about it, the idea of manufacturing diamonds isn’t that far fetched. Since the 1950’s, scientists have been able to “grow” diamonds within a controlled laboratory setting. In nature, diamonds begin as carbon, which is compressed by the earth and heated to extremely high temperatures. Instead of waiting millions of years for nature to take its course, scientists have perfected the HPHT technique, or High Heat and High Pressure over Time, within a laboratory.

According to an article on TheHorse.com, a three-day event rider named Ronald Zabala-Goetschel is planning to have a diamond made from the hair of his horse, Che Mr. Wiseguy. The pair will be representing Ecuador at the World Equestrian Games next year. To read the remainder of the article please visit http://www.thehorse.com/ViewArticle.aspx?ID=15124

Phoenix Diamonds, located in the United Kingdom, is a company on the forefront of new technology and research concerning laboratory-made diamonds. In fact, last year they created the world’s first diamond to be produced from carbon in the umbilical cord of a baby.

Phoenix insists that these man-made diamonds are not fake, but have all of the same properties as traditional mined diamonds. On the company’s website they even offer diamond certification by the UK Assay office to ensure that the diamond you receive is real and not cubic zirconium or moissanite.

They say the process itself takes about 12-14 weeks, which can vary depending on the size and color of the diamond being created. The most common color is canary, but they can also make diamonds in shades of blue, white, amber, green and red. The size ranges from .25 to 2 carats depending on the amount of original material provided.

Approximately 100 grams of cremation ash or 35-40 grams of hair is required to produce a canary diamond and 500 grams of ash or 100 grams of hair is needed for a blue diamond.

And now, comes the question of cost. To my surprise, Phoenix’s memorial diamonds do not cost as much as one might think. While specific rates may vary, the base-rate cost of a brilliant cut canary is 5950 UK pounds per carat, or approximately 10,950 USD. The base-rate for a blue diamond is 10,950 UK pounds per carat, or 18,179 USD.

For more information you can visit Phoenix Diamond’s website at phoenix-diamonds.com or their blog at phoenix-diamonds.blogspot.com.