32nd & 33rd Releases - Design Meanings and Style - 2014 Summer & Fall

Star is Born! Artist: Kathleen Moody A Tribute to the Appaloosa Horse… Each Spring, a ritual is reborn across the great plains, as Appaloosa mares give birth to the next generation of foals. These majestic horses were beloved by Native Americans, and were prized for their bold colors and brave hearts. "A Star is Born," captures this breathtaking renewal of life as a mother proudly welcomes her beautiful baby. Winner of a Painted Pony competition.

Blood Brothers Artist: Kelly Kurtz Native Americans believed that the bond between horse and rider was sacred. These two spirits became one. "Blood Brothers" pays tribute to this eternal devotion as a loyal war pony respectfully bows at the grave of his fallen rider…his friend…his Blood Brother. Even at the end of life, these bonds of loyalty and love could never be broken.

Photo Finish Artist: Janee Hughes In the fast-paced world of horse racing, a "photo finish" depicts a race in which two or more horses cross the finish line separated by a nose. This dramatic moment is captured in "Photo Finish," as three horses sprint to the finish line in a race too close to call… the final winner to be determined by a photograph.

Western Leather Artist: Vicki Knepper-Adrian This stunning Painted Pony pays tribute to the "Art of Leather." Cowboys who drifted with the winds across the great plains were the first leather artisans. At the end of their long days, they would sit by the fire and create masterpieces with great love, using the only canvas they could find: longhorn leather. "Western Leather " captures the romance of the American West.

33st Release ~ 2014 Fall

Magical Mystery Mare Artist: Lorna Matsuda Known for its flamboyant "blanket" of white spots, the Appaloosa's coloring makes it unique in the horse world. Often there is no need for adornment – fancy saddles or bridles - as the pattern of its coat, splendidly displayed in "Magical Mystery Mare," can sometimes take on a life of its own, transforming it into a work-of-art in its own right.

Grey Ghost Artist: Thomas Kulina A little known Native American legend tells of a mighty stallion, recognizable by its grey and black coat and red and white adornments, that sometimes appears galloping across the western skies as a warning of turbulent weather ahead. The story crosses tribal lines, as plains warriors would search for "the grey ghost" before planning an attack, and pueblo farmers would plant or harvest in accordance with a sighting. Although ominous in its presence, this mystical pony was believed to have prevented catastrophes and spared many lives.

Butterflies Run Free Artist: Jesse Leach The most colorful and beautiful of all butterflies and a winged symbol of freedom, Monarch butterflies are unique in the way that, each year, they flee the seasonal cold in the eastern United States, and migrate several thousand miles to spend the winter in the warm mountainous fir forests of Mexico, where superstitions claim they are the souls of the dead returned.

Spot Artist: Janee Hughes Horses and Dalmatians are said to take to each like ducks to water, which is how these black-spotted dogs came to be associated with the old-time fire halls, and why, in the early fire-fighting days, they often rode on the fire engines alongside firemen. "Spot" is a brilliant and playful merging of canine and equine friends.

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