What's New

Updated 12/03/08

Christmas Caper Update: We've had a production delay on the Jasper: A Christmas Caper DVD. We'll keep you posted on our progress and let you know as soon as it's available. Thanks for your patience and interest and Happy Holidays!

School kids get mule fever
Meredith recently accepted an invitation from Jasper the Mule fan and Carrie Martin Elementary fifth grader, Michaela, to come speak her school—the same school that Meredith’s own daughter attended many years ago. For company, Meredith and her ranch crew brought along Lucky Three Sundowner, her 28-year-old dressage and reining mule and her 32-year-old mini mule Franklin. The kids loved the mules! They asked Meredith questions for more than an hour, and each one had the opportunity to meet and pet the animals.

Mules Amaze!

Time to take a moment and acknowledge a few remarkable mules and their riders for outstanding performance. One dressage mule and two Extreme Cowboy Race competitors are making equine history!

Audrey Goldsmith tells the story of her “Wonder Mule” Porter

Porter and I met at Tom and Bonnie Lee’s Heart B Ranch in Emmett, ID in 2003 when he was just four months old.  I had seen photos of him on-line but realized after seeing him in person and watching the way he moved that he was the mule I had been looking for, for the past three years!  I wanted an “English” style mule since I was into Hunters and Jumpers and he looked to fit my ideals.

The first two years of training were very scary for me as I had never trained or even owned a mule prior to Porter and had never really worked with baby horses!  I had though, worked at training several puppies and young dogs in obedience!  I took what I had learned from the dogs and applied that (minus the cookies!) to educating Porter.  For socializing, we took trips to horse and mule shows and would camp for the weekend taking walks around the barns, warm up rings and show arenas.  For exposure, we went on trail walks and even walks on the beach in the rain!  As he neared his two years old year, I interviewed several trainers to have him backed and started as I had only started two other colts in my career.  I was turned down by my top choices of trainers, so I decided to start him myself.  What an AWESOME and AMAZING experience!  By that time, we had such a strong bond everything went great!

As a three year old, I showed Porter at a local all-breed schooling show in a few walk/trot classes.  That led me into a “new” discipline called “Mountain Trail Competitions”.  Porter has been very successful at this and has won several championships!  As Porter and I prepared for our 2007 debut at Bishop Mule Days, it became very evident that Porter excelled in Dressage.  He has won all except one dressage class at mule shows (his brother beat him once!).

In the Spring of 2008, I decided to take Porter along to USDF Rated Dressage shows with me and my dressage horse, because through the generous sponsorship of Meredith Hodges and the Lucky Three Ranch of Colorado, mules are now associated with the United States Dressage Federation’s All-Breeds Program!

My experience with Porter at the dressage shows has been wonderful!  Most of the people in attendance, including the judges, have been very open minded and welcoming.  There have been some exceptions though! My favorite story happened at Porter’s debut show, when I was informed by a trainer that, “in Germany, I would not be allowed to compete such an animal!  In fact, he would live in Za Zoo!”  I politely replied, “I’m glad we don’t live in Germany!”  Four months later, the same trainer informed me “her goal for the day was to try her hardest to beat Porter!”  She and her wonderful young Warm Bloods were NOT successful!! Porter won the Hi-Score award for the entire weekend!

Our 2008 show season is now finished.  In December in Denver, Colorado, at the USDF Awards Banquet, I will receive Porter’s award for being National Champion at Training Level for Mules!  Porter also finished in the top 20% of ALL horses in the country competing at Training Level.  He also finished in Fourth Place at the Oregon Sate Dressage Championships and Ninth Place at the Northwest Dressage Championships (against all horses)!  It has been a wonderful year and I am very proud of Porter’s accomplishments.  Looking forward to next year, I hope to compete Porter as successfully and First Level and hope to see more mules at the dressage shows too! 

Extreme Cowboy Race Champs
We also want to congratulate Loren Basham and Lori Montgomery and their mules for some groundbreaking performances in the Extreme Cowboy Race. In 07 Loren and his champ Hoosier Daddy competed in several ECR events and qualified for the finals. Last spring, Lori and her prize mule Willie took first in the Ohio Equine Affaire ECR and the Cloverdale, IN event. That got her an invitation to Craig Cameron’s ECR event in Kansas City, televised on RFD-TV, and qualified her for this year’s finals. Watch for more outstanding results from these great riders and their mules.

Featured Product
Tennessee Mule Artist Bonnie Shields has captured the magic of Jasper the Mule with a new statuette now available for purchase. This limited-edition, colorful resin figure features Jasper with his two best friends Kylie and Moxie. To order, please visit our store at www.luckythreeranch.com or www.jasperthemule.com
or call 800-816-7566.

Also available now, a great deal on the Jasper the Mule children’s book series. Buy all five books in the series and save nearly 15% off the full retail price. Jasper: The Story of a Mule together with Jasper’s four holiday adventures make a beautiful collection. These quality, hard-bound books offer entertaining stories with heart destined to be family favorites for years to come. For more information, visit www.luckythreeranch.com or www.jasperthemule.com
or call 800-816-7566.

A New Masterpiece for Lucky Three
Meredith’s champion sidesaddle mule Lucky Three Ciji has been immortalized by artist Robin Laws. The life-size bronze of Meredith and Ciji has been installed at Lucky Three Ranch, as part of an amazing collection of longears art. Also coming soon, a bronze by artist Bonnie Shields of Jasper the Mule, and his two buddies Kylie and Moxie. “Friends” will be the 10th addition to Meredith’s sculpture park. If you're going to be in Loveland, Colorado, be sure to contact Meredith for a free tour of her ranch and remarkable collection.