New Partnerships This has been a good season for the development of lovely combinations of horse and rider in the hunt field. A favorite for us all are Katie Smith and Half Pint. Katie is 8 years old, Half Pint 18. Half Pint has been hunting with the Red Rock Hounds since 1993, when Lynn purchased him from a show barn in L.A. After hunting him herself for a year, Half Pint worked his way through several owners, teaching each in succession how to jump, and then how to ride to hounds. As each rider progressed in their ability, they sold Half Pint to next fledgling hunt member. Janet Deney, Jennifer Sisco, and Colleen Badgley each learned their lessons from Half Pint. Now, to all concerned, it looks like Half Pint has come home to roost once and for all, as he and the fearless Katie fly down the steepest hills, sail over the widest ravines and jump around the show ring with equal measure of joy and style. Here's the kicker - Half Pint isn't a thoroughbred, he isn't a welsh cob, he isn't a warmblood, he is 15.1 hand grey arab gelding! Next of note, Mary Shimmick and Cloe, a going grey thoroughbred mare which Mary purchased from Lynn this year. Cloe served as a brilliant huntsman's mount for Lynn in the 2000 season. Watching Mary and Cloe gallop in harmony at the front of first field, it was obvious that they both had been marking time in life until they found each other. Congratulations, Mary. Dean Tsuda and his tall, thin bay thoroughbred gelding have also joined the jumping first field this year. Neither Dean or his horse had any jumping experience, and Dean spent the summer and early fall taking lessons with Lynn in preparation for hunting. The first month in the field was stop and go - more stop than go, actually. Dean persisted, never lost patience, and always had a smile on his face and a pat for his horse. Then one day it all came together and we could hear Dean's hoots of exhilaration as he soared over one coop after another. The culmination of Dean's hunting season came the day Lynn rode her new field hunter, a gorgeous chestnut gelding fresh out of the show ring. The horse came to a coop with standing water in front of it and simply couldn't fathom the idea of getting his precious feet wet and jumping at the same time.

Lynn turned to Dean and asked him for a lead. Oh those Kodak memories as Dean's gelding flew the coop without a moment's hesitation, followed by Lynn's green horse. 2001 PMU Foals It was another great year for foals from Canada. Lloyd Kincaid, a PMU rancher in Saskatchewan, hand picked six weanlings for Lynn this year, all 3/4 thoroughbred, 1/4 draft. They arrived in August and five were sold within two weeks. The proud new owners are Jennifer Butler, Sandy Edwards, Lisa Smith & Paulette, Paul & Brenda Laird, and Kathy Rahm. For the third consecutive year, these weanlings continue to demonstrate outstanding conformation and athleticism as well as docile, cooperative dispositions. You should see the two year olds from 1999! There is one tall, well balanced roan gelding left from this year's crop. He could be yours! Call Lynn for details. Belmont, Nevada Our own Red Rock GhostTown Three months ago one of Mungo John Schafer's employees at the Mark Twain Saloon in Virginia City told him about a newly opened Inn in Belmont, Nevada. "You hunt people should go check it out," was the recommendation. John passed the information along to Lynn, and in October, an advance party made the 300 mile trek to Belmont, located 45 miles northeast of Tonopah in the mountain pass joining the Ralston and Monitor Valleys. Lynn, Gayle, Judy, and Chrysann spent two days at the BelmontMonitor Inn, 4-wheeling around the surrounding desert. Excited by what they saw, Lynn threw together a road trip and the first weekend in December saw 22 Red Rock Hounds members with 13 couple of hounds make their way to Belmont for two days of hunting. During its short but prosperous life from 1865-1885, Belmont produced $15 million in silver and lead ore. It boasted a palatial music hall, the Belmont Bank and the Cosmopolitan Hotel. Once the Nye County seat, the Belmont Courthouse is one of the few intact structures in the town. It currently is under renovation, and opens one day yearly to allow legal historians access to its records.